Dreams of the Hart
by 80sTVlover
Summary: Jonathan and Jennifer meet, and force each other to confront themselves and figure out what dreams they have for their lives. Will their dreams include each other?
1. Chapter 1

Jennifer Edwards is at work, at The Times, counting down the minutes till she can go home. Her boss isn't too strict about that, but he generally didn't like his employees to leave before 4. So, she looked at want ads trying to pass the time.

She was in the market for a temporary apartment. She was only going to have to rent a room for 3 months while her place was remodeled. The landlord promised her it would be as quick as possible, but wouldn't take less than 3 months.

'Roommate wanted. Upper east side, 3 bedroom 2 bath. $800/mo plus utilities. Serious inquiries only-non smokers preferred. Please call 929.414.6763 Ask for Kristin".

Jennifer picked up the phone and dialed the number.

"Hello?"

"Hi, May I please speak to Kristin?"

"This is she".

"Hi. My name is Jennifer Edwards. I'm calling about the ad you placed for a roommate?"

"Yes?"

"When can I come by and meet you and look at the room?"

"Anytime you'd like. I'll be home till 9 tonight and tomorrow, I'll be available from 5 p.m. on".

"How about I come by in an hour or so?"

"Perfect. Go Uptown to the Upper East side. It's in the Westbridge, tower 2. We are on the 5th floor, 5A".

"Perfect, I will see you in about an hour".

She hung up the phone and began to gather her things. She only had about 30 minutes till she could clock out, and she wanted to walk right out when she did.

It was a nice spring day, with plenty of sunshine. She dug her sunglasses out of her purse and put them on her head.

Her boss had just purchased one of those fancy water stations, so she went and filled her water bottle.

She walked out the door right on time and took a taxi to the Westbridge.

She got there about 10 minutes early, and knocked on the door.

A cute brunette with long flowy hair answered the door.

"Hi, Kristin? I'm Jennifer".

"Hi! Come on in".

Jennifer stepped inside and looked around. The apartment was amazing.

"Ok, so I have a 3 bedroom, 2 bath apartment. I use one of the bedrooms as an office. You will get the bigger bedroom-I like the other better because the closet is bigger. Plus, I like the bathroom with the shower stall, your bathroom has a soaking tub. Your bedroom has a terrace, and there is another terrace off the living room".

"Wonderful".

She showed her the bedroom and Jennifer instantly fell in love with it.

The closet was huge, and there was a step for her bed to go on. The closet was big, and more than enough for Jennifer's things.

"So the rent is $800 a month, plus utilities. Utilities are typically $100/month or so, you would pay ½ that. We can split the grocery bill. And we get 2 spots per apartment-5A1 and 5A2".

"I'll take it."

She wrote Kristin a check for all three months, and Kristin handed her a key.

"How soon can you move in?"

"This weekend".

"Great. Now, I should tell you I'm a nurse and sometimes I travel for work. Starting next Monday, I will be going to Chicago for a month, maybe two for work. So, you will be here alone. I hope that's not a problem".

"No problem at all. I live alone as it is".

"Great. My boyfriend works in town sometimes, so when he's here, I'll be here on those weekends. So, you'll only be alone throughout the week".

"Great".

Jennifer signed the lease agreement and then headed home to pack.

She stopped and picked up Chinese food for dinner and called the local moving store and ordered a pallet of boxes.

She decided to rent a storage unit to put her couch and dining room table and dishes in, along with the other things she wasn't going to use while she was at Kristin's.

She packed up the essentials and began to gather her clothes together.

By 10 p.m., she was absolutely exhausted.

***The next day***

Jennifer worked on her latest article all morning and then stopped to get lunch.

She usually ate lunch with Olivia Watkins, who also worked at the Times.

"Want to get sushi for lunch today?"

"Yes, that sounds amazing".

They headed to Rigachi's, and got a table.

She told her all about the new apartment over lunch.

"That sounds amazing. What's the view like?"

"Gorgeous. And there's a terrace off the living room."

"Wonderful! So you'll be able to bring your hammock chair from your dad?"

"Yes, I will".

After a nice lunch, they headed back to the office.

She got back to work on her article and worked steadily till 3, and then clocked out. If anyone asked, she was going to do in-person research on her article.

She headed home and packed another load of things to take to Kristin's.

She loaded up her car and was able to cram two loads into the backseat.

She pulled up and found her spot and began to unload. It took her a few trips to get it all inside.

She was bringing the last of the load when she heard a "Hey, let me help you with that".

She turned around and found herself staring into the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen.

"Thanks".

"Where are you headed?"

"5A".

"Oh? Me too. My girlfriend lives there".

"Oh, you must be Kristin's boyfriend. I'm Jennifer, her new roommate".

"Hi, I'm Jonathan. Nice to meet you".

"Likewise."

He opened the door for her and carried her stuff inside.

Kristin had left a note that she would be home in a couple hours.

"Make yourself at home, I guess. I'm going to start unpacking".

She turned around in the doorway of her bedroom.

"Thanks again for your help".

"Anytime".

He sat down on the couch and turned on the tv. Jennifer got busy hanging up clothes and putting away shoes. After a couple hours, she was ready to go back and get another load.

She came out and found Jonathan asleep on the couch.

' _He is so handsome and so adorable when he sleeps'._

She grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and covered him with it. She quietly grabbed her purse and keys and headed to the door.

The phone rang just as she got to the door, so she grabbed it and answered it and took it to the kitchen.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Kristin. Is Jonathan there?"

"Yeah, he's here. But he's asleep on the couch".

"Can you tell him I'm running late? I'll be home in about 3 hours or so. And tell him I'll make it up to him".

"Sure".

"Are you getting moved in ok?"

"For the most part. 2 loads down, one to go".

"Great. Well, I guess I'll see you tonight".

"See you then".

Jennifer hung up and left Jonathan a quick note to tell him what Kristin said.

She headed back to her apartment and loaded up the last load.

She went and knocked on the door of her neighbors across the hall.

Ben and Evan had lived there as long as she could remember and were always so very nice to her. She and Ben had gone on a few dates recently.

Ben opened the door.

"Hi sweetheart. Everything ok?"

"Yeah, I was just wondering if you could help me carry my mattress and box springs to my car and tie it to my roof? I'm moving out for the reno, and I don't want to hire a moving company".

"I'll do better than that. We can load it on to my truck".

"Oh wonderful. I'll buy dinner and pay for gas".

"Not necessary".

He pulled her into a warm hug, and just held her for a few minutes.

"I've missed you".

"I missed you too".

He gave her a quick kiss and then went and woke up Evan.

"Wake up dude, we are helping Jennifer".

"Ok".

They carried her mattress and box springs to his truck with ease, and then Ben helped her take apart the bed frame.

Evan carried the rest of her boxes out of the apartment to her car. About an hour later, they were all ready to follow Jennifer to the new apartment.

They pulled up and she parked in 5A1 and told them to park in 5A2.

"As soon as we get your truck unloaded, you have to move it to the visitor's spots because I don't know when my roommate will be home. And there's someone asleep on the couch, so we need to be quiet".

She unlocked the door and they went inside, and Jennifer saw that Jonathan was no longer on the couch.

"Oh, I guess he went to the bedroom."

They carried in her bed frame and got it all set up for her while she carried in some boxes.

"This is a nice place".

"Yeah, I was lucky to find it so quickly".

"Much better than our place".

"What's so wrong with your place?"

"Well, there's this absolutely gorgeous redhead that used to live across the hall but now she's moving out".

He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.

"Only for 3 months, while they do the reno. Then I'll be back".

"Going to be the longest three months without you right across the hall".

"I'm only a phone call away".

The boys got her bed set up in no time, on the step.

They carried in the rest of her boxes and then Evan drove Ben's truck back to their apartment and Ben stayed to help Jennifer.

"So how did you find this place?"

"I was looking in the want ads and there it was. I called and made an appointment and fell in love with it".

She got her books organized on the shelf, while Ben got her TV set up and cable box working.

After about an hour, they were all done in the bedroom and Jennifer started on the bathroom.

Ben helped her put up the shower curtain, and then she got her makeup drawer set up.

"Well, I think I'm going to take a bath and then go to bed. I cannot thank you enough for helping me".

She stepped forward and hugged him for several moments.

"My pleasure. How about dinner this weekend? You could wear that black strapless thing you have, and we could go to La Cochette?"

"I'd like that".

He tenderly framed her face with his hands and kissed her nice and slow.

In one swift motion, he picked her up and carried her to the bed.

"I want you, baby. Like I've never wanted anyone before".

His lips captured hers in a passionate kiss and before she knew it, they were both naked and laying on the bed.

For the next 20 minutes, Ben and Jennifer had the most unstimulating, non-mind blowing, non-exciting sex in the history of the universe. At least from Jennifer's point of view. Ben thought it was wonderful.

"That's the best first time I've ever had".

"Great".

Jennifer couldn't get away from him fast enough.

Finally after 10 minutes or so of cuddling, she reminded him she wanted to take a shower and go to bed.

"Yeah, I better go".

He called Evan to come get him and Jennifer walked him to the door.

"Thanks again for your help".

"I'll call you tomorrow about dinner".

He kissed her again and then left.

Jennifer locked the door, and went straight to the bathroom and scrubbed herself raw, almost.

She got out and put on a nightgown, and then headed to bed.

***The next day***

Jennifer woke up and got ready for work, and headed to the kitchen to make some coffee.

She had just gotten a mug out when she heard a door open. Assuming it was Kristin, she called out a cheery "Good morning".

Silence.

"I'll be home around 5, and should be completely moved in by the weekend".

Silence.

She turned and saw Jonathan standing there in his boxer briefs. He was just staring at her.

"Oh I'm sorry, I thought you were Kristin".

"No, she left for work already".

"I see."

"Jennifer-"

"Yes?"

"The coffee. You're spilling it".

She looked and then turned and saw where she had filled the cup to the brim and then kept filling it. Coffee was all over the counter, and headed for the floor.

"Ahhh. Ugh. Thanks. I'm such a klutz".

She grabbed a paper towel and began to sop it up, and then wiped down the counter with a damp cloth.

She grabbed another mug and poured some in to lessen her mug.

"Want some coffee?"

"Sure, thank you".

She handed him the second mug and then poured the rest of the pot into his mug for him.

"Thank you".

"Anytime".

She quickly doctored her coffee and then grabbed her purse and keys and work bag.

"Well, bye".

"Bye Jennifer, have a nice day".

"Thanks, you too".

She headed out and thought about how handsome he was all the way to work.

Meanwhile, in the apartment, Jonathan couldn't stop thinking about Jennifer.

He loved Kristin, but he knew that he had never and could never look at Kristin the same way he found himself looking at Jennifer.


	2. Chapter 2

***Saturday***

Jennifer was up early. She had a full day ahead of her. She was going to have a moving company come and take her furniture to storage and then she had to get ready for her dinner date with Ben. She wasn't really looking forward to it, but she decided to view it as a thank you for him helping her move.

She was up and out of the apartment by 9, since the moving company was supposed to be at her apartment by 11.

She left Kristin a note that she would be in and out all day.

She was back by 3 and completely exhausted.

She headed straight for a bubble bath, and took a 2 hour soak.

Afterwards, she got ready for her date with Ben.

She put on the black strapless dress that he had asked for. It was fitted, and had a textured floral pattern with it. She paired it with some black peep toe stilettos. She curled her hair just right and made sure her makeup was flawless as always.

Ben had told her on Friday he would pick her up at 7 on Saturday.

She came out and made herself a drink, while she waited for him.

Kristin and Jonathan came in with a pizza.

Jonathan headed to the bedroom while Kristin started getting them plates and drinks.

"Hi, what are you guys up to?"

"Well, we couldn't get a table at our favorite place, so we picked up pizza and came back. You look cute".

"Thanks".

"Hot date?"

"Not exactly. More like a thank you for helping me move dinner".

"Those are the best kind. You can sleep with him afterwards and not expect anything in return".

"I guess. That's not really my style, though. I have to be committed to the person first".

"Trust me, no commitment sex is the way to go".

"So how long have you and Jonathan been a thing?"

"Just a few months. He's more into me than I am into him, believe me. He's the best lover I've ever had though, and he's so easy on the eyes and he never says no, so I keep him around".

Kristin picked up the pizza and put the plates on top and then grabbed their drinks and headed to the bedroom.

"See you tomorrow".

Jennifer couldn't help but feel bad for Jonathan. He seemed so nice and she couldn't believe that someone would treat someone else that way.

Ben still hadn't shown up by 7:30, and Jennifer was beginning to get annoyed.

She sat on the couch and sipped her drink while she waited for Ben.

The phone rang a few minutes later.

"Hello?"

"Hi. Can I speak to Kristin please?"

"Sure, one moment".

She put the phone down and walked to Kristin's room.

"Kristin, the phone is for you".

"Take a message please".

Jennifer could hear Kristin and Jonathan being intimate.

She went back to the phone and picked it up.

"Hi, she's not available at the moment, may I take a message?"

"Yeah, this is Keith. Can you tell her I called? I was hoping to see her tonight. Tell her I'm staying at the Hilton on 5th and Watson if she wants to come by".

"Ok, I'll tell her."

She hung up the phone and wrote everything down and took it to the kitchen.

"Oh Jonathan! Oh….Jonathan! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Jennifer crept back to the living room.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

She opened it and found Ben standing there.

"Hi, sorry I'm late. I got hung up with friends. You look sensational".

"Thank you".

"We lost our table at La Cochette, but I managed to get us a reservation at Mama Pietro's, if that's alright".

"It's fine".

She slipped her shoes on and they headed out.

Ben was perfectly charming all through dinner, and even though Jennifer told him it was a thank you dinner, he insisted on picking up the tab. Jennifer had one too many glasses of Chardonnay and was feeling a little tipsy.

Ben brought her home and helped her inside the apartment.

She was carrying her shoes in her hand and giggling.

As soon as they came into the apartment, Kristin and Jonathan came out of her room, holding hands and giggling.

"What were you doing in my room?"

"I just had to show him something on the terrace. Goodnight".

They traipsed back to her room and shut the door.

Jennifer headed to her room and looked out onto the terrace. The chain on her hammock chair was broken.

Jennifer was livid. She decided that tomorrow she was going to get a deadbolt and put it on her door and not give Kristin a key.

"I can fix that for you, tomorrow. I'll bring my tools and if you play your cards right I might even wear my tool belt".

Jennifer giggled.

"I'd like to see that".

She leaned up and gave him a drunken kiss.

He ran his hands up and down her back as he kissed her back.

"Want me to stay the night?"

She nodded.

She went and closed her door and locked it, and then closed and locked the terrace door and drew the curtains.

Ben was getting comfy and taking off his jacket.

He leaned down and kissed her neck and unzipped her dress, letting it fall to the floor.

Jennifer was standing in front of him in a pair of black lace boy short panties and a strapless black lace bra.

She reached forward and started undoing his tie.

Once they were both undressed, she turned out the lights and climbed into bed next to him.

She was definitely still tipsy and more than likely drunk from the chardonnay. However, the minute they started getting intimate, she sobered up. She just simply didn't enjoy having sex with Ben Danvers. She suffered through it, as it wasn't all bad. He just couldn't seem to make any bells or whistles go off for her. She covered it well, though, and as soon as it was over, they fell asleep all wrapped up together.

***Sunday morning***

They woke up around 10, and Jennifer had a splitting headache.

She got up and put a robe on and then went and made some coffee.

She took some Alleve and then took a long, hot shower. When she got out, Ben was awake.

"I'm going to run get my tools and then I'll be back. I can pick us up some breakfast if you want".

"No thanks, I'm not that hungry". He kissed her goodbye and headed out.

She was dressed and looking at the chair when he got back.

The hook was all bent and the chain was broken into pieces.

He managed to get the hook out of the frame and the chain off the chair.

"Ok, who's up for a trip to the hardware store?"

"Me, I guess".

Kristin and Jonathan were still asleep when they left.

About an hour later, they were back with a deadbolt lock, a power drill, and the chain and hook for the hammock chair.

Ben fixed the hammock chair first, and then they got started putting the deadbolt on the door.

As soon as he started drilling, Kristin got up and came out of the bedroom.

"What in the hell are you doing?"

"Putting a lock on my door. Shouldn't take us too long".

"Well knock it off. Some of us are trying to sleep".

She went back to her room and slammed the door.

Jonathan came out and got some water.

Jennifer went to the kitchen to throw something away and almost bumped into him.

"Oh, I'm sorry".

"That's alright. Listen, I'm sorry we were in your room last night. I tried to tell her we shouldn't, but she wouldn't listen to me. And we broke your hammock thing-I'll reimburse you for it".

"Thank you. I'm not mad, but it was pretty inconsiderate".

"I agree. I apologize sincerely".

"Thank you".

She headed back to her bedroom and started putting somethings away in her room.

Ben was finished with the lock in about an hour. They tested it out and it worked perfectly.

"Thank you, so much".

She stepped forward and hugged him for a few moments.

"My pleasure".

She cleaned up the mess and then went and threw it away.

She came back to the terrace and had a seat in her hammock chair. A few minutes later, she fell out of it and landed on the terrace with a thud.

Ben came running and helped her up.

"Oh, see what happened here is the hook that was damaged, it stripped the hole where it screws in. The entire frame will have to be replaced."

"Damn! Ok, thanks for looking at it".

He took the other side of the chair off of the frame and she brought it in and set it in the bottom of her closet.

"I tell you what, let me take this to my apartment. I'll see if it can be salvaged".

"Sure".

She walked him to the door, just as Kristin and Jonathan were coming out of Kristin's room.

"Um, did you have him spend the night?!"

"Yes, he did".

Jennifer kissed Ben goodbye and thanked him for helping her and then turned to head back to her room.

"Maybe next time you'll show some consideration and give a heads up".

Jennifer turned to look at her.

"A heads up about what?"

"Your boyfriend spending the night".

"I don't recall you giving me one about your boyfriend spending the night".

"I don't have to. It's my apartment".

"And I pay to live here too, remember? And I don't suppose you felt it necessary to ask me before you went on my terrace and broke my hammock chair?"

"You weren't here. And that was an accident".

"Accident or not, it was still inconsiderate. It was a gift from my father, that is now permanently damaged".

"I'm sure you can find another one".

"Perhaps your flight to Chicago can take off early? Like tonight?"

Jennifer turned and went to her room and shut the door.

She could hear them talking in the kitchen.

"No I will NOT go apologize! This is my apartment and she should have told me he was going to be staying over last night!"

"You didn't tell her I was staying. What's good for the goose is good for the gander".

"What I do isn't her business".

"And what she does isn't yours".

"I don't care what she does, I just want to know when her boyfriend will be staying here".

"Kristin, I think I'm going to stay at my apartment tonight. I don't feel right staying here if she's upset".

"So now you care more about her feelings than you do mine?"

"No, I didn't say that. I just feel like we are rubbing it in, and I don't want to be a party to that".

"Don't be silly. We aren't rubbing anything in".

"Come stay with me at my place tonight. It's closer to the airport and you can take my limo to the airport in the morning".

"Fine".

She went and packed her suitcase.

He packed up his things and they came out just as Jennifer was heading to the kitchen.

"Ok, so I'm going to be gone for the next two months. A few rules while I'm away. You are going to deposit your share of the bills into my account by the 2nd of the month. I'll call you and give you the account number. Stay out of my room, and don't eat my groceries. If you break it, you better pay to replace it before I return".

Jennifer gave her a surprised look.

"I'll deduct it from what you owe me for my hammock frame".

"You will do no such thing. What happened to your hammock frame was an accident. I don't pay for accidents".

"I'll deduct it from what you owe me. Have a nice trip".

Jennifer returned to her room and shut the door.

She picked up the phone and called Olivia. She vented to her a little.

"Omg! What a bitch! At least you get two months away from her".

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I think, as much as I hate to pack up and move, and this room is pretty incredible, it might be best if I only stay two months and then move out".

"I agree. No point in living with someone who seems intent on making everyone around them miserable."

They chatted a little longer and then Jennifer hung up and ordered dinner.

She ate her dinner on her terrace, and then took a long bubble bath and headed to bed.

***Monday***

Jennifer got to work around 9, and got busy on her article. Around 11, there was a phone message for her.

"Please call 347.862.5449".

She called the number.

"Hello?"

"Hi, this is Jennifer Edwards. I had a message to call this number".

"Hi, it's me. Jonathan".

"Oh. Hi."

"I just wanted to apologize to you for everything-she shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I apologize".

"It's alright, I'm not mad at you. You don't owe me an apology".

"I just feel really bad about how she treated you."

"What was her last roommate like?"

"Well to tell you the truth, she's had 3 since I met her just before Christmas. They were all quiet and polar opposites of her".

"I see. Well, I better get back to work. Thanks for calling me. How did you find me anyhow?"

"Let's just say I have my ways".

"Interesting".

"Bye Jennifer".

"Bye Jonathan".

She hung up and got back to work, but try as she might, she just couldn't keep the smile off her face.


	3. Chapter 3

***Thursday***

Jennifer got out of work a little early and got home right at 5. She was just about to get into a hot bath when there was a knock at the door.

She went to open it, and found Jonathan standing there with a dozen red roses in his hand.

"Hi, what are you doing here?"

"Well, I am in town on business, and I was supposed to go home yesterday. But it seems as if I'm going to be here through the weekend. So, I decided to come by and see if I could fix your chair for you".

"Oh, that was very kind of you. Come in".

"These are for you".

"Well, thank you, they are beautiful".

She went and put them in some water.

She unlocked her bedroom and opened the door.

"My friend Ben took the frame to his apartment to see if he could fix it. Let me call him".

She picked up the phone and called him.

"Hello?"

"Ben? Hi, it's Jennifer. Were you able to fix the frame for me?"

"I tried my best, but no. I'm in Wichita on business, but if you want the frame back, I can call Evan and have him bring it to you".

"That would be great. And thank you for trying".

"Anything for you".

"Enjoy Wichita. I'll talk to you when you get back".

"Bye sweetheart".

She hung up.

"His roommate is going to bring it over. He says he couldn't fix it. You are welcome to look at it, and if you can't fix it, I'll just order another one".

She kicked her shoes off and then dragged the chair out of the closet.

She handed him the bag with the original pieces to the chain.

"I'm going to fix myself a drink. Can I make you one?"

"That would be wonderful".

He followed her to the kitchen and they pulled out the contents of the liquor cabinet.

"Oh wait. Those are Kristin's. Only the wine and the vodka is mine".

"It's fine. I'll replace whatever we use. You live here too, she shouldn't have been like that".

"Is she always like that?"

"She can definitely get her feathers rumpled. But it's always over the nonsensical things, and not over what you would predict".

"I see".

He made them both a Cape Cod.

"Here you go".

"Thank you, what is it?"

"A Cape Cod".

"Oh? Sounds interesting. I've never had one of these".

"Vodka, cranberry and a twist of lime".

"Yummy. Cheers".

She clinked her glass against his and then took a sip.

"Oh, that's good".

There was a knock on the door then, and Jennifer went to get it.

It was Evan, with the frame.

"Hi. Thank you".

"Here, let me get that".

They brought the frame in and put it in the living room.

Jennifer said goodbye to Evan and then joined Jonathan in the living room.

"Ben said something about the place where the hook goes was stripped, if that helps".

"Yeah, he's right. It is".

Jennifer stepped into her bedroom and quickly changed into some knit capri pants and a tank top.

"Ok, so the good news is, this can easily be fixed. It just needs some filler parts. The bad news is I highly doubt we can get the filler parts because these measurements are custom, not standard."

"Oh. Well, I'll call the company tomorrow and see if they can help me".

"I tell you what. I broke it, Kristin and I, so let me call the company. I'll take care of it".

"Thank you".

He grabbed a notepad and wrote down a few key details like the measurements etched into the pieces and the color, and then got up and sat on the couch.

He carried the frame outside to her terrace, and then came back in.

He grabbed the chair and set it in her closet.

"Thanks for trying".

"No problem".

"Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly".

"How did you two break it anyways?"

"She wanted to sit in it, so we came out here and she sat in it, and then she wanted me to sit in it, and so we switched places and then she jumped in my lap, and all of her weight landed square on my lap, and then we fell to the ground".

"I see".

He closed the terrace door and locked it.

"Well, I'm starving. How about I order us some dinner?"

"Sure. What do you want?"

"Mexican ok?"

"Yes. There's a wonderful place across the street, unless you have somewhere else in mind".

"Fuego, 2 blocks away, is what I had in mind".

"Wonderful!"

He went to the kitchen and pulled open a drawer of menus.

He dug in there till he found one and handed it to her.

She looked it over and then told him what she wanted.

"Chicken fajitas for 2, please".

"That sounds good. I think I'll have the same".

He placed the order for delivery and then hung up. She handed him a $20 out of her wallet.

"No, no. It's on me".

"I don't expect you to pay for my dinner".

"It's the least I can do".

"Jonathan, really. You've apologized enough. It's ok. We are ok".

He nodded and took the 20 from her.

"I tell you what. We can't have Mexican without margaritas. Do you like margaritas?"

"Yes, I do".

He picked up the phone and placed another delivery order from the liquor store across the street. 15 minutes later, they were mixing margaritas in the blender.

They sat on the couch drinking their margaritas and waiting on their dinner.

"So, how did you meet Kristin?"

"At a bar one night. I was there with a friend and she kept sending me drinks".

"Interesting".

"Yeah, I didn't think in the beginning we would make it this long. But she makes the trips to New York less lonely."

Jennifer took a sip of her Margarita.

"So, what do you do at the Times?"

"I'm a reporter. I write investigative articles for them".

"I bet you come across some very interesting stuff".

"Yeah, at times. What do you do?"

"Have you ever heard of Hart Industries?"

"The electronics conglomerate? Yes, actually".

"I'm Jonathan Hart".

"THE Jonathan Hart?!"

"The one and only".

"So, you own the whole company?"

"I do."

"I'm impressed".

Just then there was a knock at the door. She got up and opened it and found their dinner on the other side.

"Oh, thank you".

She went and got them plates, napkins and silverware while Jonathan paid for their dinner.

She got out a Ziploc container and put half of her chicken fajitas into the container.

"You aren't going to eat all of your dinner?"

"That's why I ordered it for two. So, I can take part of it for lunch tomorrow".

She put the container in the fridge, and then took her plate to the table.

They shared a nice dinner, and Jonathan refilled their margaritas a few more times.

After they were finished eating, he helped her clean up and then she took her margarita to the couch.

"How about a movie?"

"Fine with me". Jennifer started giggling.

"Are you ok?"

"Nope. I'm completely trashed". More giggling.

He found them a movie to watch and then went to the kitchen and got her bread.

"Here, eat this. It will take the edge off".

She ate some of the bread while they watched their movie and before they knew it, they had finished off the margaritas.

Jonathan was pretty tipsy, but Jennifer was worse.

When the movie ended, she looked at him.

"What do you want to do now?"

"I'm enjoying hanging out with you. Whatever you want to do is fine with me".

"Can you help me with something?"

"I can try".

They stood up and fought to keep their balance.

She took his hand and led him to her room and into the closet.

"Can you *hiccup* replace the light bulb please?"

"Oh, that's easy. I just need a lightbulb and a ladder".

"We don't have a ladder".

"Ok, then I need a lightbulb and a really tall man".

Jennifer started giggling.

"We don't have a really tall man, either".

They both laughed at that.

"I've got it! What if I get on your shoulders and you lift me up and I change the lightbulb?"

"We can try".

She went and got the lightbulb and then he sat on her bed and she climbed on his shoulders.

It took them a minute to find a balance, and then he gingerly walked her over to the closet.

5 minutes later, she had a working closet light again.

He walked her back to the bed and sat down. She fell backwards off his shoulders.

After a few laughs, he moved to lay beside her on the bed.

"Jeffiner…..is the room spinning to you?"

"Yes, it is. And by the way, my name isn't Jeffiner."

"It's not?"

"No. It's Jeffiner".

"Oh, sorry. My mistake Jeffiner".

"No, not Jeffiner. Jennifer."

"Can you say that again?"

"No, I don't think so".

He rolled over and stared at her for a few minutes.

"You have the prettiest eyes. Inviting, but mysterious. So gorgeous".

"Thank-"

He leaned down and captured her lips with his, and lightly brushed his lips against hers.

"-you".

He kissed her again, this time increasing the passion ten-fold. He might be inebriated, and the room might have been spinning in circles, but he knew what he wanted. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted Jennifer.

She gave into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, and let the kiss continue on.

She ran her fingers through his hair as she nibbled on his lips.

He reached down and untied the drawstring of her pants.

He kissed her neck as he pulled her pants off her hips.

From then on, everything happened so fast. She got his belt and pants undone, while he pulled her tank top off her and undid her bra.

Pretty soon, they were both naked and wrapped up in each other's arms.

Jonathan kissed her, sending a passionate spark throughout her entire body.

He was lightly biting her earlobe and driving her crazy.

"I want you, Jennifer. They broke the mold when they made you".

"I want you too".

He reached down and tugged her panties off her waist, and gently cupped her innermost flesh.

"Mmmm".

She tugged his boxer briefs off him and he kicked them down his legs.

He quickly and skillfully penetrated her and began thrusting in and out of her.

Suddenly, Jennifer started seeing rocket ships and fireworks. This is what sex was supposed to be like. This is what the hype was all about.

"Oh god! Yes! Yes!"

She grabbed his butt and gave it a good squeeze.

"Oh god….Jennifer….."

"Ohhh".

"I'm gonna come….i'm gonna come…."

"Do it…."

He exploded inside of her, causing her to explode into intimacy and ecstasy all around him.

They were both drained and physically exhausted when it was over.

"Oh my gosh, that was amazing".

"Do you always have sex that good?"

"I've never had sex that good".

"Me either".

He leaned down and kissed her nipples and sucked on them some as they calmed down.

He moved off her and wrapped his arms around her and held her as she fell asleep.

A few minutes later, he fell asleep too.

***The next morning***

They slept till Jennifer's alarm went off.

She sleepily reached over and turned it off and then grabbed her head.

Slowly waking up, she realized there were arms wrapped around her.

She turned to see who they belonged to.

Jonathan.

Kristin's Jonathan.

All of a sudden, the memories of last night started flooding back.

"Jonathan….wake up. You have to go now".

"Hmmm?"

"Wake up".

She got up and went and made some coffee and took some Aleve.

She brought him some water and the bottle back to him.

"Here, you might need this".

"Thank you".

"I cannot believe we did this. Kristin is going to kill me if she finds out. I am not normally this promiscuous, I cannot believe I did this".

"It's alright. Look, we are both adults. We both consented, and if I recall correctly, we both enjoyed it. We don't have to tell her".

"I suppose your right. I mean, it's not like she and I are friends, and after I move back into my place, I won't ever have to see her again. Although, this just feels so wrong. I cannot believe I didn't control myself".

"We are both at fault here, not just you".

She sat down on the bed next to him.

"So, we need to replace her liquor. I can take care of that today. Do you know if she's coming back this weekend?"

"Yes, her plane lands at 6 tonight".

She nodded.

"I need to get ready for work. I'm going to take a shower".

She headed for the shower and he headed to get some coffee.

Jennifer came out about 30 minutes later in a gorgeous purple v-neck sleeveless dress and beige kitten heels.

He handed her a fresh mug of coffee.

"Thank you".

She took a long swig and then started getting her lunch together.

"Jennifer, can I do something?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just need to do something, in order to find out something".

"I don't understand".

He took her face in his hands and kissed her passionately, using his tongue to part her lips and gently explore her mouth. The kiss was absolutely perfect. It left her breathless, confused, and wanting more.

"Yeah, just as I thought".

"What?"

"You are the best kisser I've ever known".

He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips.

"Bye Jennifer, have a good day".

He walked out the door and left her standing in the kitchen, her mind reeling.


	4. Chapter 4

Jennifer got to work and decided to focus solely on business so as not to spend all day thinking about Jonathan.

His hands roaming up and down her body.

His wonderful kisses. Oh, those kisses.

His dreamy eyes…his taut abs….his lips. Oh, yes, his lips.

She stopped herself from remembering too much and focused on her article.

Olivia walked by and hung over the top of her cubicle for a moment.

"Lunch today?"

"Sure".

"Great. 11:45, in the courtyard".

"Can we…possibly go somewhere a little more private?"

"Yeah. How about the terrace upstairs on the 8th floor?"

"Perfect".

She got back to work and really focused on her work. Around 11, Morgan, the receptionist brought a small vase of flowers to her desk.

"Thank you".

The vase was small, about 6 inches, and had a beautiful sunrise painted on it. It was filled with blue tulips.

She dug for the card and opened it.

"I miss you. Have to stay another month. Can't wait to see you when I get back-Ben".

' _How sweet'._

She got back to work and about 15 minutes later, Morgan brought another delivery. Another vase of flowers.

"Someone has an admirer".

"Well I would love to know who it is".

This vase was clear, with bubbles in the glass and a scalloped edge. The vase was filled with pink tulips, pink stargazer lilies, pink hyacinth and pink gerber daisies. She dug for the card and opened it.

"Can't stop thinking about you. Hope you are thinking about me too. -J".

' _If you only knew how much'._

She shoved the cards into her wallet and then got back to work till lunchtime. She and Olivia had a lot to talk about. Olivia wrote the advice column for the Times. She was perfect for venting.

Jennifer went and heated up her lunch, and then headed up to the terrace. She and Olivia were the only ones who ever came up there.

They sat down and started eating.

"So how are things with the roommate?"

"The same but yet a 1000 times more complicated".

"I don't understand".

"Can I talk to Miss Mary for a moment?"

"Sure".

"So, I recently moved in to a new place temporarily while my other place gets renovated. And I was kind of sort of dating this guy that lived across the hall from me. We'll call him Ben, because that's his name. He's very sweet, and very affectionate and complimentary. I have a wonderful time with him, I do. He helped me move in, he has come to my new place and helped me get settled. Sometimes, I don't have his full attention, but I've never been one who has to be the center of attention. So anyways, he and I were supposed to go to dinner last week. He was an hour late picking me up. No phone call or anything, but we had a marvelous time when we went out. There's just one problem".

"Sex?"

"You guessed it. I don't enjoy it with him. Granted, we've only done it twice, but I didn't enjoy it either time. And to make it worse, each time afterwards, he told me how great it was, which makes me feel horrible."

"So what does this have to do with the roommate?"

"Well, she and her boyfriend, we'll call him Jon, they broke my hammock chair".

"The one your dad gave you?"

"Yep. So, I decided to let Ben fix it and to have him install a deadbolt on my door. The roommate came out and yelled at me over the fact that Ben spent the night and that he was using power tools. Keep in mind her boyfriend Jon spent the night, and that he spent the first 4 nights that I lived there, but she wants advanced notice when Ben stays over. Whatever. So, anyways, Kristin left to work in Chicago for 2 months. And before she left, she named all these insane rules that again, only apply to me with her things, but not her with my things apparently. So things were tense before I left for work yesterday. And then Jon called and left a message for me to call him. So I did, and he apologized and stated that he wanted to make things right. Last night, he showed up with flowers for me and tried to fix the hammock frame but couldn't. So, he's buying me a new one. He also bought dinner, and made us some killer margaritas, and then one thing led to another and…."

"You didn't?"

"I did. I cannot believe it, but I did".

"And how was it?"

"Absolutely the most incredible, most amazing feeling ever. I literally saw rocket ships and fireworks when he touched me. I have experience but I'm not that experienced, but I'm experienced enough to know when it's good. And with him, it's amazing".

"So what happened?"

"He stayed the night and this morning we agreed not to tell her. She's coming home tonight."

"I see".

"I've already decided that she isn't the kind of person I want to be friends with after I move out or even while I live there. The fact that she works out of town during the week helps immensely. But what am I going to do when she's in town and he's there with her?"

"Well, until they break up officially, he's off limits. Actually no, scratch that. Until they break up and you move out, he's off limits. She's liable to set your shit on fire if you make a move on him while you still live there. And to be fair, you need to break things off with Ben, if you are truly interested in Jon".

"Yes, but is it really fair for me to break up with him just because the sex is lousy?"

"Fair? It's essential. If he can't make your eyes roll back in your head, then you two have no business being together."

"I suppose that's true. It just seems so superficial".

"Bad sex might be the reason you break up with him. But you don't have to phrase it that way. Tell him that you met someone else, or that you lost interest while he's been out of town".

"I see your point".

"And if you move out and Jon makes a move on you and he's still with her, then you need to tell him that you aren't available till he isn't with her anymore".

Jennifer finished the last of her fajitas and then drank some water.

"I just feel so disappointed in myself. I cannot believe I did that".

"Girl, you are a sexy, vivacious, charismatic and intelligent woman. Most woman these days don't know what they want. Kudos to you for going after what you wanted."

"I am not a sex kitten, Olivia. I don't sleep around. Commitment means something to me".

"And that's good. But are you really committed to Ben?"

"No, I suppose I'm not".

"How committed do you think Jon is to Kristin?"

"He told me that he didn't think they would make it this far, but that she makes the weekends he spends here on business less lonely. And she told me when I first moved in that she was only in it for the sex".

"So see? You didn't ruin anything. You just maybe jumped the gun a little, but that's ok. This can all be fixed, one way or the other".

"Great point. I'm going to stop beating myself up about it. It is what it is, and until Jonathan breaks it off with her, I will refuse to let it happen again between us".

They cleaned up their lunch and headed back downstairs. They clocked in and went to their respective desks. Jennifer worked till 5 and then headed home.

Her plan was to run out and do some errands and then stay in her room all night, avoiding Kristin and Jonathan.

She came in and set her flowers down on the coffee table. She put the ones from Jonathan in her bedroom and the ones from Ben in the living room. She quickly changed out of her dress and into some black skinny jeans and a pink top and some black flats.

She went and ran her errands and then picked up a pizza on the way home.

She came in and set it down and reached up to get a plate.

Just then, the door opened. Kristin and Jonathan came in.

"Hi, have a nice trip?"

She tried to sound cheery.

"Yeah, it was ok. Oh great, you ordered pizza".

Kristin grabbed a plate and started piling pieces of pizza on to it, and then took it to her room.

"Jonathan and I are going to be very busy, so try not to disturb us, ok? And if a guy named Bryce calls, he has the wrong number. Thanks".

Jennifer was livid. Not only did Kristin leave her with one piece of pizza, one freaking tiny piece of pizza, she also expected her to be an answering service?! Not happening.

Jonathan came into the kitchen and got some water for the both of them.

He came over to Jennifer and shoved $100 dollars in her hand.

"I'm sorry about that-order some more on me. Here's a tip-she hates mushrooms. Keep the change".

He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and grabbed their waters.

"Jonathan….come on, baby. I'm waaaaaiiiiitttttiiiinnnngg".

"I'm coming".

He gave Jennifer a look that said "What else can I do?" and then returned to the bedroom.

Jennifer called and ordered another pizza for delivery, with extra mushrooms. She also walked over and turned off the answering machine.

She called and set up a new line in her room, and had her old line forwarded to it. So now, Kristin's phone was just that-Kristin's.

Her pizza arrived an hour later, and she took her plate to her bedroom.

She turned on a movie and was actually in bed asleep, by 11.

***Saturday***

Jennifer woke up and did a yoga workout in the living room. She was trying to be quiet to avoid the wrath of Kristin.

Around 11 am, she heard the telltale knocking of the headboard against the wall.

' _Again? I'm surprised he has anything left after last night'._

She made herself a veggie wrap and was doing the dishes when Jonathan and Kristin finally emerged.

"Jonathan said you ordered another pizza last night. Where is it?"

"My pizza? Oh, my pizza is in the fridge".

Kristin pulled it out and opened the box.

"Oh great, you got mushrooms. Excuse me while I vomit".

Just to prove a point, Jennifer got out a plate and put a piece with several mushrooms on it, and stuck it in the microwave.

Jonathan winked at her.

"Jonathan, can we order in from Takura?"

"Sure".

He got out the menu and they figured out what they wanted. Jennifer stood there, watching them, as she ate her pizza.

"Jennifer, would you like something?"

Kristin shot him a glance that didn't go unnoticed my Jennifer.

"No thank you".

He called and placed the order and then they went back to the bedroom.

Pretty soon, Jennifer heard "Oh Jonathan…..Oh Jonathan…." over and over again.

She decided to go run in the park a few blocks down.

She did about 8 miles and then came back to the apartment.

Kristin and Jonathan were sitting together on the living room terrace. She was in his lap and he was looking at her adoringly.

Jennifer went into her room, locked the door behind her and took a long, hot shower.

She took herself to the movies afterwards, intending on being out till after they were in bed.

In order to properly delay going home, she decided to walk home instead of taking a cab.

She had just turned the corner onto Madison when she saw him.

He was coming out of Port 188, a new bar that had opened. She was about to call out to him, when all of a sudden, he was joined by a blonde.

She watched in silent horror as they kissed and held hands and then got into a cab.

Ben Danvers had been lying to her the whole time.

She fought back the tears as she walked home.

She came into the apartment and went straight to her room. Kristin and Jonathan were on the couch. Kristin barely noticed that Jennifer was crying, but Jonathan did.

"Hey-are you ok?"

She popped her head back out of her room.

"I'm fine".

She closed the door and locked it behind her. She grabbed the phone and called Olivia and took it to her terrace.

"Hello?"

"Hey. So, it's officially over. I mean, we didn't talk, but that's really on account of I'm never talking to him ever again".

"What happened?"

"So, the couple is here and I had to get away. I just couldn't stand it any longer. So, I went to the movies. And I walked home and as I'm walking home, I see him coming out of Port 188, with a blonde. He kissed her and then they got into a cab."

"Wanna go bust him?"

"I'd love to. But what am I going to say?"

"We'll figure it out on the way. Now put on that bright blue bandage dress that hugs you in all the right places, and your sparkly black peep toe wedges and grab your makeup bag and get over here".

"See you in 20 minutes".

She dried her eyes, and then put on the dress and the heels and grabbed her makeup bag and her purse.

She came out and locked her door.

Jennifer could tell out of the corner of her eye that Jonathan's mouth had dropped open. Kristin was asleep.

She gave him a sly smirk as she walked out the door.

***Olivia's***

She got to Olivia's and they got her all fixed up. Olivia showed her the easiest way to put on lipstick, and eye shadow.

"You just make a line and then fill in the shapes. Easy peasy".

"I'll have to try that".

They took a cab to Jennifer's old building and went inside.

"Ok, now I'm going to knock on the door. When he opens it, you pop out and ask him how Wichita is? I will stick my foot in the door so he can't close it on us".

"Perfect plan".

They walked to his door and Jennifer flattened herself against the wall. Olivia knocked.

"Coming".

Ben opened the door.

"Can I help you?"

"Hi, I just need to ask you something".

Jennifer popped over then into his line of sight.

"Tell me-how's Wichita?"

"Jennifer-what, what".

"What am I doing here? I could ask you the same thing. You said you were going to be in Wichita for a month".

"I….I…."

"Save it. I saw you coming out of Port 188 tonight. If you weren't interested in me, you should have said something."

"I am interested in you, baby. But we never said we were exclusive".

"We never said we weren't either."

"Jennifer-I didn't mean to hurt you. You gotta believe me".

"No, I don't."

"Look. I'm sorry, I should have called you when I got back in town. I messed up. We can try again. Let's figure it out".

"No thank you. I think the damage has been done. Goodbye, Ben".

She turned and walked away, and Olivia followed her.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, actually. One problem solved, another to go".


	5. Chapter 5

***Sunday***

Jennifer woke up around 9, and went to make some coffee.

She heard them talking before they came into the kitchen.

"Jonathan, I don't care if you are being awarded with something. Friday night is girl's night. My friends and I are going out. You can go to the awards thing alone and then you and I can celebrate later".

"It would look better if I had a date".

"Nobody pays attention to whether or not people have dates at those things, Jonathan. That's silly".

"Kristin, it's important to me. Can't you postpone girl's night to Saturday?"

"No, I don't want to. I can't think of anything I hate more than sitting at some boring ceremony".

"Fine. Forget I mentioned it. I'm going to my apartment for the rest of the day. Have a safe trip back to Chicago".

He gathered his things and came out of the bedroom.

Jennifer took her coffee back to her room as he left.

Kristin went back in her room and slammed her door.

Jennifer stayed in her room another hour and then heard a knock on the door.

She came out and answered it and found a guy standing there.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Yeah, does Kristin Morrison live here?"

"Yes, come on in".

Just then, Kristin came out and ran to him.

"Hi. What I need you to help me with is in this room".

He followed her to the bedroom and they shut the door.

Jennifer was livid. Jonathan didn't deserve to be treated that way. She went to her bedroom and called Olivia.

"Hello?"

"Hello. Hypothetically speaking, if someone is interested in someone else, but that someone else is committed to another, and the person they are committed to is cheating on them after a fight this morning, does one owe that the person they are interested in to tell them?"

"Ok, what?"

She filled her in and then asked the question again.

"Should I tell him or not?"

"That's tricky. If you tell him and he confronts her, she will know it's you that told. But if you don't tell him and he finds out later, then he will be mad at you for telling. And either way you go, she is going to flip her lid when she finds out that you told him".

"So…?"

"I wouldn't say anything just yet. I'm not saying keep quiet forever, but maybe just for now".

"I should have never moved in here".

"Well, you live and learn. You had no way of knowing that she would be such a train wreck. So you can't really blame yourself".

Just then, Jennifer heard yelling.

"Get out! Get out now!"

She heard the guy say "Ok, ok I'm going, I'm going", and then the door slam. A few seconds later, Kristin's door slammed.

"Well, I suppose that affair was short-lived. He just left".

"Interesting."

Jennifer hung up and took her mug to the sink and rinsed it.

She was just about to head back to her room when there was a knock at the door.

She opened it and found Jonathan standing there.

"HI".

"Hi".

Kristin came out of her room then.

"Baby, come on".

He followed her to her room and shut the door behind him.

Jennifer headed to her room and showered and got dressed.

About 30 minutes later, Jennifer was sitting on the couch working on her article research when Kristin and Jonathan came out of Kristin's room.

"Jennifer, we need a favor".

She looked up.

Jonathan looked at her.

"Do you have plans on Friday night?"

"Well, I-"

"Of course she doesn't have plans for Friday night. Ok, so you are going to dress up and go with Jonathan to this awards thing, and then he is going to come meet me and my friends at Captain Joe's. So, it's going to look like he has a date, but this is not a date. This is just two acquaintances going to the same awards show, together".

"I see".

Kristin turned to Jonathan.

"Is there a theme?"

"No, not that I know of".

"Great. So that means you are going to need to get a dress, and some heels, and figure out between now and then how to curl your hair without so much frizz".

Her phone started ringing, so she ran to her bedroom to answer it.

Jennifer looked at Jonathan.

"What just happened here?"

"I'm sorry. I meant to ask you in a nicer way, but I couldn't get a word in edgewise. I would really appreciate it if you would go with me".

"I'm happy to go with you, but just as friends".

"That's exactly what I had in mind. I'll pick you up at 5:45. And for what it's worth, I don't think your hair is the least bit frizzy".

"Thank you".

"I appreciate you being so cooperative".

She smiled at him.

"Jonathan!"

"Coming".

He got up and went to Kristin's room again.

***Monday***

Jennifer and Olivia had lunch again, on the 8th floor terrace.

She filled her in about the awards ceremony.

"That's what the fight was about and now she and he want me to go with him".

"Jennifer, do you really think that's wise? I mean you admitted to having the hots for him."

"I know. But if I don't do it, he will be disappointed and she will be pissed. And he and I agreed to only go as friends. It's not a date, date. It's just an event in my calendar".

"I hope you know what you are doing".

Jennifer tried to ignore the uneasy feeling in her stomach. Try as she might, it just wouldn't go away.

***Friday***

She left work at 4 on Friday, and went home to get ready. After a hot bath, and a nice cocktail, her hair and makeup were flawless. She decided to wear her hair up, tucked under at the bottom and swept to the side, with a sparkly clip. She grabbed the dress she had purchased yesterday out of the closet. It was black and sparkly. It was a short cocktail dress that had a sweeping piko sleeve on one shoulder and a set of 4 thin straps on the other. She put on a strapless black bra and a black lace thong, and her sparkly black peep toe stilettos. She dug her sequined black purse out of the closet and had just finished changing purses when Jonathan showed up. She let him in and then walked into the kitchen to put her glass in the sink.

"Hi, you look absolutely sensational".

"Thank you. You are very handsome yourself".

"Well thank you".

He handed her the flowers he had brought her and she put them in water.

"Shall we?"

"One second". She walked up to him and straightened his bow tie.

"Now, that's better".

"Thank you".

She locked their door behind them and he escorted her to the car.

Waiting outside their building was a long black limo.

"You rented a limo?"

"No, I use a car service when I'm here in town".

He held the door for her and helped her inside and then got in behind her.

"So are you sure you are winning this or are you just nominated?"

"I'm sure. They are honoring several people. And I'm one of them".

"What exactly are you being honored with?"

"Businessman of the Year".

"Congratulations, that's a big accomplishment".

"Thank you".

She smiled at him.

"So, have you been to this ceremony before?"

"Yes, I go every year. Usually my company gives out an award, but we didn't submit one for this year's ceremony".

"So how does it typically go?"

"Well, there will be dinner, and drinks. And then the awards and then dancing and then, if they have the silent auction this year, they will announce those winners and then it's over".

"I think I can handle that".

They pulled up to the Met, where the awards ceremony was taking place. He helped her out of the limo and then escorted her up the stairs.

They posed for pictures and then walked inside.

"Can I get you a drink?"

"That sounds lovely. White wine is fine, thank you".

He left her at their table and went to get them both a drink.

A few minutes later, he reappeared with a white wine for her and a Manhattan for him.

He introduced her to several people and she noticed that he kept his hand on her lower back the whole time.

The lights dimmed, and she looked at him, confused.

"Dinner time. We should head to our table".

He pulled her chair out for her and then sat next to her.

She was looking at the menu.

Dinner was 4 courses and each course had 3 choices, so you could build it however you wanted.

First course was appetizers-pomegranate goat cheese crostinis, crab cakes with remoulade or shrimp cocktail. Second course was salads-spinach salad with strawberries, toasted pecans, and bleu cheese, traditional Caesar salad, or a garden salad. Each salad had a choice of dressing. Third course was the entrée. Bacon wrapped filet mignon, grilled chicken breast, or grilled salmon. Sides were loaded baked potato, loaded baked sweet potato, mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, sautéed mixed vegetables, or bacon wrapped asparagus. Dessert was New York cheesecake with a choice of topping, peanut butter pie, or devil's food cake.

Jennifer and Jonathan filled out their menu choices and handed them to the waiter.

"What did you pick?"

"Crab cakes, spinach salad with lemon pecan dressing, filet mignon with grilled asparagus and loaded sweet potato, and devil's food cake. What about you?"

"Crab cakes, Caesar salad, filet mignon with asparagus and loaded baked potato and peanut butter pie".

"Almost the same".

She took a sip of her wine.

"So how long are you in town for this time?"

"I'm not sure. I have some meetings next week that I am mulling over, and then depending on how they turn out, I might stay or I might go".

"Go where?"

"Home, as in Los Angeles".

"Oh, I didn't know you were from California".

"Yep, lived there my whole life".

The waitress brought their first course and refilled their glasses.

Jennifer took a bite of the crab cake and moaned at how good it was.

Jonathan agreed that the crab cakes were top notch.

He chatted with the other people at her table, and some of the wives complimented her dress.

"Oh thank you. I'm surprised at how comfortable it is".

"Is it from Macy's?"

"No, actually. I found it at a store over on 88th and Barton, called Odds and Evens. All the dresses are in odd sizes and the shoes are in evens".

They finished their crab cakes and then started on their salads. Jennifer practically inhaled hers, the lemon pecan dressing was absolutely perfect.

He started asking her about herself when the entrée came.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Pink. You?"

"Blue. What's your birthday?"

"November 2. You?"

"February 10. What's your most favorite trip you've ever taken?"

"Hmm…. South of France or maybe Italy. Italy will always be special to me".

"Oh? Why is that?"

"My mom died when I was 12, and Italy was the last family vacation she and my dad and I took together".

"I see. Where's somewhere you've always wanted to go but haven't ever been?"

"Africa. You?"

"Greece".

"What was your favorite trip?"

He leaned in close to her.

"New York, 2 weeks ago".

She was very touched. She patted his hand and took a sip of her drink.

They continued playing the question game and she figured out he was about 12 years older than her, had never been married and had no siblings.

The waitress came and took their plates when they were finished.

"Dancing is next and then dessert later".

The music started, indicating that the dance floor was open.

Jonathan leaned over to Jennifer.

"May I have this dance?"

"Certainly".

He took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

She fit into his arms like she was made to be there. Neither of them wanted to let go. She rubbed his back a little while they danced, and rested her head against his.

He could smell her intoxicating perfume, and it only made him want her more.

"Are you having a good time?"

"Yes, very much so. Are you?"

"Most definitely".

They shared several dances and then went and sat back down.

It was time for the awards ceremony to begin. He went and refilled their cocktails and got her water like she asked for.

Finally, the last award of the evening was for him.

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek when they announced his name.

He went up to the podium and accepted the award and began his speech.

"I worked very hard to build my company, and I do many business deals each week. I probably fail at more than half of them, but that's ok. I learn something from each of them. There's always something to learn from what happens to you or what you did. And this award will help me to remember that. Thank you so much".

Everyone clapped for him and he went to the photographer's corner to take some pictures.

It was about 30 minutes before he came back to Jennifer.

"Hey, I'm sorry, that took longer than I expected".

"I'm fine, it's perfectly alright. You gave a great speech, by the way".

"Thank you. I kind of winged it. I forgot my prepared one back at my apartment".

"Well, you did absolutely amazing".

She finished her devil's food and pushed the plate away.

"Did you bid on anything from the silent auctions?"

"No".

"Wanna get out of here?"

"I'd love to".

She grabbed her purse and they headed for the door.

"So, I have a surprise, if you're up to it".

"Sure, I love surprises".

He led her down the stairs of the Met, and then told her to close her eyes. He signaled for his surprise and led her to it.

"Ok, just a little farther. There, that's it. Ok, open".

Standing in front of her was a horse-drawn carriage, with lights in the carriage.

"Shall we?"


	6. Chapter 6

"Sure".

He helped her up into the carriage, and then climbed in behind her. He took his jacket off and covered her shoulders with it.

He paid the carriage driver for the longest ride possible, and then sat down and put his arm around her.

"This is so romantic".

"I'm glad you enjoy it. I cannot thank you enough for going with me tonight. It was more enjoyable with you there than with anyone else".

"You're welcome".

She rested her head on his shoulder.

"I love the perfume that you are wearing".

"Thank you. Your cologne smells wonderful too".

They enjoyed their ride through the city, and he had the guy drop them off at Jennifer's building.

He walked her inside. They quickly realized that the power was out.

He walked her up the steps and she unlocked the door.

"Aren't you going to go meet Kristin?"

"I might. Once I know you are safely inside, that is. Then again, I might not. I can always tell her we just got back to the apartment".

"Well, thank you for a wonderful evening".

"Thank you for going with me".

He leaned forward and hugged her and ran his hands up and down her back.

As she pulled away from the hug, his lips found their way to hers and he gave her a sweet goodnight kiss.

She rested her hands on his arms and looked at him.

"I should probably light some candles".

"I'll open some windows".

She ran around the house lighting candles and got it all lit up.

He opened a window in each room and told her to crack open her terrace door so that it would flow.

She slipped out of her dress into a robe, and kicked off her heels.

He came up behind her as she was taking her hair down.

"Here, let me".

He unclipped her hair for her and then placed the clip on the table as he kissed the back of her neck.

He turned her around in his embrace and stared at her.

"What?"

"You are so beautiful. They really did break the mold when they made you".

She slid her arms around his neck and they both leaned in for a kiss.

"I need you, Jennifer. I really need you", he murmured against her lips.

"I need you too".

She reached down and untied her robe and slipped her thong off, while he stepped out of his shoes and pants.

He laid her down on the bed and climbed on top of her.

She grabbed his face with her hands and pulled him closer to her, and parted his eager lips with her tongue.

He quickly penetrated her, and thrust in and out of her in a frenzied motion. It was over almost as quickly as it began, and they barely had time to calm down.

The power came back on, so they quickly got dressed and ran around blowing out candles and closing windows.

Jennifer came out of her room and put the candles away. She got a glass of water and then told him she was going to bed.

"Goodnight".

She barely looked at him on her way into her room. And if she was being honest, the truth was she could barely look at herself.

***Monday***

Jennifer spent the weekend avoiding Jonathan and Kristin. It was hard, but necessary. Monday rolled around and she was grateful that Kristin was back in Chicago, for work.

She got to work and sat down at her desk. She had about 3 hours to turn in her article.

She had just finished and put in Brooks' box when Morgan brought her another bouquet of flowers.

Pink begonias, pink ginger flowers, and purple Cala lilies with white gladiolus in a crystal clear vase.

She dug for the card.

"Lunch today? Please call me. 347.862.5449. Jonathan".

She picked up the phone and called him.

"Hello?"

"Hi."

"Hi. Can we have lunch today?"

"I suppose so. I can only be gone about an hour, hour and a half tops".

"That's fine. How about Sweetgreen, 11:45?"

"See you there".

"Great".

They hung up and Jennifer glanced at her watch. She only had 20 minutes till she had to leave to meet Jonathan.

She grabbed her purse and headed to the bathroom.

She headed out about ten minutes early, and asked Morgan to tell Olivia that she had a lunch meeting.

She took a cab to Sweetgreen and arrived right on time.

He was already standing out front.

"Hi".

"Hi". He kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks for coming".

They placed their order and then grabbed a table.

He sat next to her in the booth.

"I don't really know how to start this conversation, so I'm just going to come out with it. I feel like the other night I hurt your feelings somehow. I have been over it and over it and over it in my head, but I cannot figure out how I hurt your feelings. So, please, let me apologize for whatever it was and I want you to know I'll do whatever you need me to do to make it right".

"You didn't hurt my feelings. I hurt my feelings".

"You hurt your own feelings?"

"Yeah. I cannot be the other woman, Jonathan. In a perfect world, it would just be you and me. But this world is far from perfect. It's not you and me. It's you, me and Kristin. And as difficult as she can be sometimes, she doesn't deserve what we are doing behind her back. I was raised better than that, and I know better, and I'm disappointed in myself for not acting like I know better. And every time you and I are…..intimate…. I beat myself up over it the next night. But every time you come over to the apartment, I want you 1000 times more. And then inevitably, she will show up or call your name and you go running like a little lost puppy dog. I can't do it anymore. I just can't".

"First of all, I'm so sorry that you are getting hurt in all this. You are one of the most genuine people I have ever known, and if anyone doesn't deserve to be hurt, it's you. So, I'm sorry for that. Second of all, I was raised better than this too. And this is no excuse, but I just can't help myself when you are around. It's like I know I shouldn't but I just don't care. And in the back of my mind, I justify it by telling myself that this makes up for all the times she is an overly dramatic high maintenance pain in the absolute ass. Doesn't make it right, but it helps to take away a little bit of the wrongness. And finally, the reason I wanted to have lunch with you today is because I have finally decided to tell her that I don't want to see her anymore".

"I see".

"I thought you would be excited".

"I am, but I'm not. She's going to be devastated, Jonathan."

"I know. But my feelings for you are stronger than my feelings for her. And I'm not happy doing this either. And we all deserve to be happy".

"Jonathan, there's something I want us to do. You and me. I'll do it, and you can do it. And I understand that this isn't really my place to ask you this, so I hope you understand that I'm only asking you this out of concern not only for me, but for you too".

"What is it?"

"Well, it occurred to me that I've been with you twice, and you and I haven't exactly used protection either time. Now I have an IUD, so I know that we won't be having any children. But if you are with me and then you are with her, and I'm not stupid, Jonathan, and the walls in our apartment aren't that thick, then it occurs to me that things might get transmitted unintentionally and I don't think any of us want that, so you and I should probably get tested".

"I am happy to get tested. But I want you to know-I screwed up and didn't protect you. I admit that, I own that. But I have always, always, always, protected her. And there isn't anyone else. And going forward, I'll protect you too. I cannot apologize enough for not protecting you before. If you still want me to get tested, I can. Just the say the word. And I don't think you are an idiot. Quite the opposite, actually".

"That makes me feel better. Can we still get the test just to be sure?"

"Absolutely. I tell you what, if you want to go this afternoon, I'll make the arrangements for both of us".

"Thank you, I appreciate that".

Their bowls arrived then, and they started to eat.

"I feel like I ambushed you, Jonathan. I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention".

"You didn't ambush me. It's alright".

"So, do we have a plan?"

"Yeah. I was thinking I would call her this week in Chicago and tell her I was coming for a meeting. I can fly out Thursday night and fly back to New York Friday morning. That way she won't waste a flight coming to New York to see me".

"And then what?"

"And then, if you are willing to still see me, you can come to my apartment here in the city and she won't ever have to know that you and I are together. And then when you move out of her apartment and back into yours, we can be less secretive".

"Only one problem. She's been to your apartment, Jonathan. Do you really think she's going to just go without a fight?"

He sighed.

"No, I don't. But if I have to, I will rent us a hotel room. Because in my perfect world, it's you and me also".

"Can we agree that no matter what, nothing else will happen between us until after you have told her?"

"Yes, that's fair".

They ate quietly for a little bit.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. You can always ask me anything".

"What about the guy you are seeing?"

"Oh. He and I aren't together anymore."

"I see. Well that's one complication already taken care of".

"I'm glad I was with him, but I'm also glad it's over".

"Why are you glad you were with him?"

"Jonathan, I don't really want to get into it right now, if you don't mind. I'll explain later".

"Sure".

They finished their bowls and he paid their check and then grabbed her hand and helped her up.

They held hands as they walked outside.

"Thank you for lunch".

"Anytime. Absolutely anytime".

He kissed her cheek and gave her a quick hug and then put her in a cab and handed the taxi driver a $20.

"I'll call you when I know the arrangements".

She nodded.

He stood there on the corner and watched the taxi drive her away.

***Later that night***

Jennifer and Olivia grabbed sushi and took it back to her apartment.

"So how was the awards ceremony?"

"Very nice. He was the most charming man I have ever gone out with. I mean, he brought me flowers, and he opened doors for me, and then he got me a drink at the bar when we got there and pulled out my chair. I know those are little things, but when you haven't had someone do them for you in a while, they are big things".

"So, then what?"

"Well, they had this 4 course dinner but you had choices. So, we had to fill out our menu sheet, and then he asked me basic get to know you questions while we ate, and then they gave out the awards. And he was so masculine and powerful when he was accepting his. He said that he appreciates the failed business deals just as much as he appreciates the successful ones because you can always learn from them regardless of how they turn out. Then, we went and danced, and he is the best dancer. I didn't want to stop dancing at all. I mean, we just sort of fit together. So, then we go back to the table and had dessert and then he was like "You wanna get out of here? And I was like yes, please. So we left, and he surprised me by taking me home in a lighted horse and carriage. And he took his jacket off and put it over me so I wouldn't be chilly".

"Oh, don't you love that?".

"Yes, I do".

"So then what?"

"Well, we get here and the power was out. So he helps me inside and I thank him for a lovely evening and he hugs me and I can tell he wants more. So, we start lighting candles and opening windows and then we are in my room and I'm in a robe because I took my dress off and he comes up behind me and takes my hair down. And then, things happened and as soon as they were over, she comes home."

"Did she catch you?"

"No. But I caught me, and I felt horrible. So I avoided them the rest of the weekend and then today, he sent me flowers at work, asking me if we could have lunch. And I told him straight up at lunch that nothing further will happen between us unless and until he ends his relationship with her, that it wasn't fair to her and that it wasn't pleasant this way for him or me, and that I just couldn't continue like this. And he agreed to do it and told me that his feelings for me were stronger than his feelings for her. And I made another request of him and he happily agreed to do it".

"What was that?"

"I want us to get tested, just to make sure we aren't passing things around".

"Excellent choice."

"He not only agreed, but he made the arrangements for both of us. We are going Wednesday at 3".

"Edwards, I think you may have figured it out".

"I think so too. And it's strange, I never knew a man could have this hold on me".

Olivia filled her in on her weekend happenings, and then around 9, they called it a night.

Jennifer locked the door and then headed to take a bubble bath with a glass of wine.

She soaked for about an hour and then got out. She had just put her nightgown on when she heard a knock at the door.

"Coming".

She couldn't fathom who that could be at this time of night.

She opened it to find Jonathan standing there.

"What are you doing here?"

"I had to see you. I just can't stay away".

"Did you-"

"It's taken care of".

He grabbed her face and kissed her with so much passion that she felt like she was floating.

He kicked the door shut behind him and reached back and locked it, and then picked her up and carried her to bed.

They made love for hours and finally fell asleep around sunrise in each other's arms.


	7. Chapter 7

***Thursday***

Jonathan and Jennifer spent every day together all week, till Thursday night. Both of their fast result tests came back clean, and he had been very diligent about protecting her since their lunch date.

"What does your weekend look like?"

"Well, I'm on vacation next week. So, I was thinking I might go up to Boston or fly down to Miami and just relax in the sun and come back Monday or Tuesday".

"Perfect. What if instead of Boston or Miami, you came to LA with me?"

She nodded.

"Ok, I'll be back in the morning. We can fly to LA whenever you get off work, and then next week, we can fly back here together".

"Perfect. I'll be packed and ready".

She gave him several long kisses and held him close.

"It's going to be so weird sleeping without you tonight".

"I know. It's going to be so weird to get a full night's sleep".

"I can't help it, darling. You are just so irresistible".

"I don't ever want you to resist me".

A few kisses later, he was headed to the airport and she was headed to bed.

2 hours later, her phone was ringing.

"Hello?"

"Hi beautiful".

"Hi handsome".

"I can't go to sleep without telling you goodnight".

"I'm so glad. I love telling you goodnight too".

"I'll see you tomorrow night, baby".

"I can't wait."

She blew him a kiss and they hung up.

***Friday***

He came to the apartment at 6 and they headed to the airport. She decided not to ask him about Kristin, the less they thought of her the better.

"What airline are we flying? And let me reimburse you for my ticket, how much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything. And we aren't taking an airline, we are taking my private plane".

"You own your own plane?"

"Yes, actually. It's nice, big, and private".

She leaned over and kissed him.

"Good".

"It's about a 6 hour flight to LA, so I ordered dinner for us and it's waiting on the plane".

"How sweet".

They pulled up next to his plane at the airport and got out. He helped her out of the car and they climbed up the steps.

Jack came out of the cockpit.

"Hey Jack, this is Jennifer Edwards. Jennifer, this is Jack Carter, the best pilot in the business".

"Hi, nice to meet you. Thank you for flying us tonight".

"My pleasure, ma'am".

He gave her a quick tour of the plane and then they sat down and got buckled.

As soon as they leveled off, he got up and got their dinner ready.

"I ordered you the grilled chicken breast and steamed veggies and a side salad from Montero's. If you don't like it, we can get something else when we get to LA".

"I'm sure it will be fine. It was so thoughtful of you to get us dinner".

He brought her plate to her and a silverware packet, and a bottle of water.

"Thank you, darling".

He sat down next to her and they ate dinner and he told her all about his house.

"Do you live alone?"

"No, I have a houseman. He's the only family I've ever known, really. He lives with me and works for me, and his name is Max".

"Is he your uncle?"

"He's more like my dad. I never knew my parents, that I remember anyways. They died when I was 2, and I was sent to live at the Mission Street Orphanage in San Francisco. Max befriended me when I was 12, and he basically took me under his wing. He's my dad in every sense of the word but legally".

"That's so sweet".

"He's a good guy. He loves to play poker and bet on horses, hell, he loves to bet on anything, really. And I know one thing for sure: he is going to love you".

"You think so?"

"I know so. What's not to love?"

"Awww… you're so romantic".

She kissed him a few times and then kicked her shoes off and curled up next to him and put her head on his shoulder.

He reclined their seats and they relaxed together for the rest of the flight.

"So, you told me that your mother passed away. Is your father still living?"

"Yes, he is. He has a home in Maryland, where I was born and raised, and he has an apartment in London, one in France, and one in Germany. He works at different art galleries throughout the year in those places. Not so much London anymore, but still France and Germany".

"That's interesting. I have an art dealer that I deal with in France when I'm there".

"Oh? Who is it?"

"Stephen Edwards".

Jennifer smiled.

"That's my father".

"Are you serious?"

She nodded.

"Small world. He's a very smart man, and one of the few art dealers I trust".

"I appreciate that".

They chatted about her upbringing and things she liked to do and things he liked to do and before they knew it, they were landing in LA.

She gathered her things and they headed down the steps.

He had called and Max and told him to leave a car for him, and he walked her to it.

He took her bag and put it in the backseat and then opened the door for her.

"Thank you".

As they drove to the house, she laced her fingers through his.

"Darling, did you ever bring anyone else from New York here to meet Max?"

"One time. And it didn't go well. They were arguing after about 10 minutes".

"Imagine that".

He pulled them up to the house and parked.

"This is it. 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a den, kitchen, and dining room plus a nice backyard with a patio".

He walked around and opened the door for her.

"Thank you".

He grabbed their bags and walked her inside and placed their bags by the steps.

"Max, you home?"

"In here, Mr. H."

They walked into the kitchen.

"Hey Max".

"Hey, Mr. H."

"Max, this is Jennifer Edwards. Jennifer, this is Max Brennan. Jennifer will be staying with us for the next few days".

"Hi, it's so nice to meet you".

"Lovely to meet you, Miss Edwards".

Jennifer ran her hand up and down Jonathan's back.

"I made dinner-you two hungry?"

"What did you make?"

"Chicken parmesan and grilled veggies".

"Sure, we can eat".

"Can we help you get it together?"

"No thank you, Miss Edwards."

"I'll give you a tour of the house while Max gets it ready".

"Alright".

He led her to the living room.

"This is the living room. Max's room is over in that corner. He has a master suite-room, large closet, and his own bathroom. Dining room is through there. We hardly ever use it though. The eat-in kitchen is more than plenty."

He took her hand and led her upstairs.

"Up here is my room and the guest room and guest bathroom."

His room had the typical bachelor pad feel-dark colors, not a lot of furniture. Just a bed, dresser, tv mounted on the bed, and a nightstand.

He showed her the bathroom.

"I have a shower stall and a tub, but this tub doesn't work. The tub down the hall does, though".

"I see".

He showed her the guest room and then they headed downstairs.

Max had everything all ready, so they sat down and ate. Jonathan lit them some candles and poured them some wine.

After a nice dinner, they headed upstairs to bed.

"We will probably sleep late in the morning, Max. So don't feel like you have to make us a big breakfast".

"You got it, Mr. H."

"Thank you for a lovely dinner, Max".

Jennifer leaned forward and hugged him and kissed his cheek.

"You're welcome, Miss Edwards."

"Goodnight".

"Goodnight".

"Goodnight, you two".

He carried their bags upstairs and into his room.

He set hers on the bed and got out a luggage rack for her from the closet.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"Tomorrow, how would you feel about me taking you to spend a day on the water?"

"I would love it".

"Great, then we will do just that".

She kissed him and then unzipped her suitcase.

"If you want to hang something up, I can make space in the closet for you".

"That would be great, thanks".

He went and shoved all his stuff to one side and then grabbed some empty hangers and handed them to her.

She quickly hung up her clothes and handed them to him and he hung them in the closet.

She grabbed a nightgown and put it on and then stepped into the bathroom to brush her hair.

She came and climbed into bed a few minutes later and settled into his arms like she had done all week. His bed was at least twice the size of hers, which made it easier for them to cuddle without feeling like they had to hang on for dear life.

"I'm so glad you are here with me".

"I'm so glad that we are together, darling".

They made mad, passionate love to each other and then fell asleep.

***Saturday***

They woke up around 9, and got ready to go on the boat. They went downstairs and packed a cooler of snacks and drinks to take with them, and a bag of towels and sunscreen.

"We'll be back sometime tonight, Max. We will pick up dinner on our way home".

"Have fun. Be careful!"

Jennifer hugged him goodbye and they headed out.

He drove her down to the harbor, and pointed out some sights along the way.

He pulled them up to the harbor, and parked in front of the walkway.

He carried the cooler, while she carried their bag of towels. He took her hand and led her to the boat.

"This is it. This is my first baby. This is the Dealbreaker".

"The dealbreaker?"

"Yes. I was dating this lady, and she hated how much time I spent on my boat and she told me that it was a dealbreaker, if I didn't start spending more time with her. So, I named it dealbreaker and I dumped her".

"I see".

They got settled and he showed her where the stowaway container was, and where the life jackets were, just in case they needed them.

She helped him untie the boat and once he got it started, and he got them away from the marina and out into the open water, she went and stood behind him as he steered them out into the bay.

He gave her several kisses as he navigated them through the channel and into the bay. He drove them out about 45 minutes and then anchored them.

He came and relaxed next to her on the bench seat.

She dug out the sunscreen and started putting it on her arms and legs.

She took her cover up off, revealing a bright purple string bikini.

"Darling, would you mind getting my back please?"

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

"I'll do yours if you do mine".

"Deal".

He put on a liberal amount of sunscreen on her shoulders and rubbed it in all over her back. He went under the straps like she told him to. It felt more like a massage than anything, and Jennifer was loving it.

After he got her sunscreen all rubbed in, they switched. He pulled his t-shirt off and she started rubbing sunscreen in all over his back and shoulders and the back of his neck.

"Darling, you have a knot in your neck, right here where it meets your shoulder. Do you feel that?"

"Yeah, it's alright. It happens when I'm stressed, that's all".

She rubbed it a few minutes and it actually appeared to shrink a little.

She reached around and rubbed some sunscreen in on his chest some and then did his ears.

He did his arms and legs and then they stretched out and enjoyed laying together in the sun.

They ended up falling asleep in the sun for a few hours, and only woke up when a couple jet skiers flew past them.

Jonathan went to the cooler and got out some of their snacks.

Jennifer made them plates and Jonathan opened the wine they had brought and they sat up and ate. Jennifer fed him a bite of the smoked salmon and he fed her a bell pepper dipped in hummus.

After they were done eating, she cleaned it all up and put it away and got them each a fresh water bottle.

They decided to get in and swim for about an hour, and enjoyed diving in and jumping off the boat.

After they were out of the water and were drying off, he sat down and then pulled her onto his lap.

She wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"What is it?"

"Darling, I just want to tell you something. I'm a pretty famous man out here, in California. And that's ok. It is what it is. And there are things that come along with that, whether I want them to or not. One of those things is the ever constant focus into my love life. And I have this reputation of sorts, for dating women who, shall we say, aren't that smart, or are only interested in me for the media status. Plainly put, I've had a lot of first dates, and not a lot of second dates. I admit, I've been somewhat of a ladies' man, in the past. I've had a lot of relationships that were strictly physical. And even though some people aren't who I know I want to spend my life with, I will still spend time with them just so that I'm not alone. I'm not saying it's right, but I am saying it's what has happened. Now, I said all of that to say this-you are the one that changed that for me. You are the one that I can finally see myself being with when I'm 90. I'm so thankful that I met you and I can't imagine being anymore in love with you than I am right now".

He leaned up and kissed her.

She was taken aback.

"You love me? Like love me, love me?"

"I love you love you".

"Jonathan, are you sure?"

"I'm 100% positive".

"I…..I….."

"It's ok, just say whatever it is".

"I love you too".


	8. Chapter 8

***Thursday***

Thursday came all too soon for Jonathan and Jennifer. They had truly enjoyed their time together in LA. As much as she wanted to stay with him forever, she couldn't. She had to get back to New York, and she had to get back to work. And he had to get back to work as well.

He flew back to New York with her, and they used his car service to take her home.

"Darling, do you mind if we swing by my old apartment building? I want to check on the progress".

"Certainly".

She gave him the address and he gave it to the driver.

He laced his fingers through hers and they rode in silence, both of them dreading having to say goodbye later.

They pulled up to her building, and Jonathan told the driver they would be right out.

They walked upstairs and she noticed that Ben and Evan's apartment was now being renovated as well. She unlocked her door and went inside and gasped.

The flooring had been ripped out and the walls had been ripped out, and all the fixtures like her tub and the toilet were in a corner. But it looked as if they hadn't been there in weeks. And there was no way it was going to be finished in time for her to move back in by the date she had been told.

He could see she was disappointed.

He tried to make her feel better, but it didn't work.

"I swear, I wish he would have just let me pick out everything."

"What would you do?"

"Well, this all started because he wanted to replace the plumbing and the wiring. Fine, I get that. So, while I was at it, I would add in a few more plugs on each wall, and I would put in a garbage disposal, and a spicket on the counter in case I want to hook up an appliance that needs to be tapped into the water system. And in my bedroom, I would put a step, for my bed, with built in bookshelves around it, and storage under it. And in the bathroom, I would turn the tub sideways, so it's flush with the wall, under the window. And I would make the laundry room big enough to house a full size washer and dryer, and I would put some wire shelves for hanging clothes".

"Is that all?" He grinned at her.

"I know it sounds like I'm being demanding. But I just think if you are going to renovate, you should max it out".

"I agree with you".

"I would also take out one window in the bedroom and put in French doors and one of those gate things so that you don't fall out and kill yourself, so that I could have fresh air in the apartment if I want".

"That's an awesome idea".

They locked up and went back down to the car.

As they rode along to her other apartment, she turned to him.

"Are you sure you have to go to Boston this weekend?"

"I'm positive. I cannot get out of this business meeting".

"What if I came with you? I can entertain myself during the day and I can definitely make your nights less lonely".

He grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"As enticing as that sounds, these are contract negotiations. I could be there all night long, and that wouldn't be fair to you. I promise, as soon as I have a free weekend, I'll take you somewhere, just the two of us, wherever you want".

Before she could respond, he leaned over and kissed her tenderly.

She broke the kiss and stroked his cheek with her fingertips.

"Thank you for a lovely trip to LA. And you were right, I absolutely love Max".

"He loves you too. But not as much as me".

They pulled up to her new building and he asked the driver to come pick him up in 20 minutes.

He carried her bags inside for her and took them to her room.

She went to the kitchen and made herself a sparkling water and set it on the counter.

"Well, I think I'm going to take a bath and then go to bed. Do you want to stay tonight?"

"Yes. But I can't. I have to get up early and fly to Boston at 4 a.m., so I should just stay at my place".

She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"One of these days, I want to see your place, darling".

"You will, I promise." He kissed her neck as he lifted her off the ground.

"I love you love you".

"I love you love you too".

She walked him to the door and kissed him goodbye several times. She locked the door behind him and then headed to take a bubble bath.

As she soaked, she thought back to the other guys she had dated in the past. None of them could compare to Jonathan in any way. He had absolutely, positively, without a doubt stolen her heart.

And as he rode along to his apartment in the city, he was doing the same. He knew that without a doubt, Jennifer Edwards had absolutely stolen his heart too. He knew that the next few days were going to be very uncomfortable without her, but that if he kept her in mind as his focus, he would make it through.

***2 months later***

Jonathan and Jennifer had settled into a routine. She saw him every night, and while she hated to not get to spend weekends with him, thanks to his board meetings and labor negotiations and contract negotiations, she understood that at some point, it would end and she would have him on the weekends too. And the time she spent with him during the week was so enjoyable that she didn't mind the lonely weekends too much.

Kristin had stopped coming home on the weekends, so the apartment was much more peaceful as well. However, Jennifer's three months were up this week and she had no idea where she was going to go.

She was sitting on her couch looking at Want ads and trying to make a decision when there was a knock at the door.

She got up and opened it and found Jonathan standing there.

"Hi darling".

He came in, closed the door, and then turned and kissed her.

"I missed you".

"I missed you too. Can we go somewhere together?"

"Sure, where do you want to go?"

"To look at an apartment. I have to move out this weekend and I haven't found a place".

She grabbed a marker off the desk and circled the ones she wanted to look at.

She grabbed her purse and keys and they headed out.

"Let's go buy and check on your place first, darling. That way we know how much time you will need at whatever place you move to".

"Great idea".

They drove to her apartment and went inside.

She handed him the key and he unlocked the door.

She walked in and her mouth fell open. Everything was done. And it looked better than before. The walls had been painted gray, not white. There was a step up in her bedroom, for her bed. And it had built in bookcases on either side. And the window was gone, and French doors were in its place. The tub in the bathroom had been turned, and there was fresh tile on the floor. And the laundry room had a brand new state of the art washer and dryer, and was twice its size."

She turned and kissed him.

"How did this happen?"

"Well, I called your landlord after we came back from LA. And he and I made a deal. I would hire a construction crew and pay the added costs if he would let me make adjustments to the renovations. So, he paid for the new plumbing and wiring, and he fired the old crew, and used mine. And I told them what I wanted and we had to make adjustments here and there, but because I paid for everything, you don't have a rental increase".

She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You are simply amazing. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this".

"You're the best, baby. And when you are the best, you deserve the best. And I want to give you the absolute best".

They shared several long kisses and then she looked at him.

"When can I move in?"

"Saturday. And unfortunately, I have a stockholder's meeting in Seattle, I cannot help you move. But, what I can do is let you have my moving company. You tell them what goes and they will pack it up and move it and put it where you tell them".

"Deal".

She kissed him a few times and then they headed back to her apartment.

She finally felt like things were coming together in her life and she couldn't have been any happier.

***A month later***

Jennifer had moved out of Kristin's apartment and back into her own. She loved having it decorated just the way she had always wanted. And she loved having a full size washer and dryer instead of a stackable-it made doing laundry so much easier.

She called Jonathan and left him a message that she missed him and loved him.

About 10 minutes later, he called her.

"Hey".

"Hey, listen I'm stuck in this meeting, but I snuck out to call you back. I can only talk a minute".

"Well, I didn't mean to disturb you, but I just wanted to tell you I love you and I miss you and I can't wait till you are here tomorrow. And I was going to ask you if you had booked our weekend in Denver yet".

"Not yet. I'm still working on it".

"Jonathan, we are overdue for a trip together".

"I promise, darling, I'm still working on it."

"I'll believe that when I see it. But I love you for working on it".

"I love you too. Listen, I am going to be coming in late tomorrow night, so why don't you meet me at my apartment? I'll send you a key at your office tomorrow. You go on in, and get comfortable, and I'll come straight there from the airport".

"Wonderful. Want me to bring anything special?"

"Just your gorgeous self."

She wrote down the address and repeated it back to him.

"That's it, baby. I gotta go. I love you love you".

"I love you love you too".

She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone.

***The next morning***

Jennifer was at her desk working on an article. She was investigating one of the men running for city commissioner. Word on the street was that he had promising businessmen in the city tax breaks if they got him elected in exchange for generous campaign donations. The deeper she dug, the worse it got.

Around 11, there was a delivery for her. 3 dozen pink roses and purple lilacs and one perfect bird of paradise flower in the center, in a crystal vase.

She dug for the card and opened it.

" _Happy 3 month anniversary baby, you are my bird of paradise. Enjoy the flowers, see you tonight. Look close and you'll find the key. I love you-Jonathan"_.

She examined the vase carefully and found a key hanging from one of the stems. She pulled it off and saw that it had a keychain on it that had a "J" etched on it inside a heart.

She decided to do something special for him since he had remembered their three month anniversary. She called and ordered some of his favorite pastries and a peanut butter pie in the shape of a 3. She arranged to pick it up at 6.

She left work right at 4 and went home and packed a bag very fast. She took a bubble bath and shaved her legs, and then got out and got dressed. She did her hair especially the way he loved it, curled and framing her face. She headed to the liquor store and picked up a couple bottles of champagne, and then headed to pick up the pastries and the pie.

She found her way to his apartment building and took the elevator to his floor.

She wasn't prepared for what she saw, but at this point, nothing about him should surprise her. He had the penthouse apartment. It was absolutely exquisite. It had been impeccably decorated. She set her bags down on the loveseat and put the pie and the pastries and champagne in the fridge.

She stretched out on the chaise lounge and turned on the TV and began to flip through a magazine.

The phone started ringing and she ignored it for a moment, and then decided to answer it in case it was important.

"Hello?"

"Hi darling, I'm glad you are there. I just wanted you to know I just landed and I'm on my way to you. I love you".

"I love you too. I'll be waiting".

She blew him a kiss and hung up the phone.

About 30 minutes later, he was walking in the door.

She ran to him and hugged and kissed him.

"Oh I'm so glad to see you."

"I'm glad to see you too".

"I brought you some surprises, darling".

She took his hand and led him to the kitchen.

She got out the champagne and handed it to him to open. She grabbed two glasses and he poured them each a glass.

She got the pie out of the fridge and opened it.

She leaned forward and hugged and kissed him.

"Happy anniversary, darling. And thank you for my gorgeous flowers".

After several long kisses, she picked up her champagne and took a sip.

"I'm going to go slip into something a little more comfortable, darling. What bedroom shall I use?"

"You can use mine. Straight down the hall, at the very end".

She kissed him again and headed down the hall with her champagne.

Jonathan took his suit jacket off and threw it over the back of the chair. He took a sip of champagne and was just about to head to the bedroom when there was a knock at the door.

He opened it and found Kristin standing there.

"Surprise, baby! I've missed you so much".

She leapt into his arms and started kissing him, as she dropped her bag on the floor.

Jonathan's mind was racing. He had to get her out of here, and fast.

He picked her up and carried her to the guest bedroom in the other direction.

"I'm going to go get our bed ready, baby. You stay in here and I'll come get you when it's ready".

Jennifer was just coming out when she heard him talking to Kristin. And then she heard Kristin tell him she loved him.

"I love you too, they broke the mold when they made you. I'll be right back".

Jennifer had grabbed her bag and was heading straight towards him.

He was trying to use hand signals to tell her to go back in the bedroom but she wasn't paying attention.

She flung her champagne in his face, grabbed her purse and stormed out.

She took the elevator downstairs and ducked into the lobby bathroom to change out of her robe and nightgown and back into her clothes.

After she was done, she headed home, crying the whole way.


	9. Chapter 9

***The next morning***

Jennifer had cried all night. She had spent about 2 hours throwing everything into a box that reminded her of Jonathan. The bracelet he gave her in LA. Flowers, sweet little cards he sent her. She just wanted it to all go away.

She had a doctor's appointment this morning, so she had arranged to take a ½ day off work. She got there around 11 and saw Jonathan standing out front.

She glared at him as she walked towards the entrance.

"I don't have anything to say to you".

He reached out to stop her from walking away from him.

"Can you just let me talk to you for one moment?"

She glared at him.

"Please, baby? Just let me try to explain and apologize."

"I don't want to talk about this here. This is where I work, Jonathan".

"I know. For what it's worth, I went to your apartment this morning, but you didn't answer the door. Where were you?"

"None of your damn business".

"Ok, I deserve that. But we aren't going to resolve things until we talk, so can we just talk, please? You name the time and place, and I promise you, I'll show up".

"My apartment. Tonight. 7 p.m."

"I'll be there. I love you".

She walked inside without saying a word.

As soon as she got in the building, she headed to the bathroom.

Olivia came out of the stall and saw her standing at the sink.

"Hey, how was your appointment this morning?"

"Fine, I guess".

"Jennifer, what is it?"

"can we go to the terrace?"

"Yeah. Head on up there if you want, I'll be right there as soon as I grab my lunch".

Jennifer grabbed a bottle of water from the breakroom and headed to the terrace. About 10 minutes later, Olivia joined her.

She came over and gave her a hug.

"Ok, I'm officially worried about you. I've never seen you like this".

"I don't particularly enjoy being like this myself".

"What is it? Did the doctor give you bad news?"

"No, no. I'm fine, health wise. It's something else".

"You can tell me, whatever it is".

"It's Jonathan. I broke up with him last night".

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry".

"Everything was perfect. It was just so damned perfect. Did I tell you he had my apartment renovated?"

"No, you didn't."

"So, we went by there on our way home from LA to check the progress to find they made none. So, I mentioned that I was frustrated that it was taking longer and that I couldn't decorate it like I wanted. So, he asked me what I wanted and I was very specific. And then when I was in a crunch zone about finding a place, he suggested we go check out the progress and it was all done, just like I had said I wanted. Come to find out, he had called my landlord and offered to pay for it, if he could change the plans and it ended up saving my landlord a lot of money. And I love my apartment".

"That's very sweet".

"Yep. And I didn't like that we had to spend every weekend apart, but I was understanding because he's very busy. If only I had known how very busy he actually was".

"What do you mean?"

"So remember how I told you that we had the talk and I told him I wouldn't be the other woman and that nothing more would happen between us till he broke things off with Kristin?"

"Yes, I do. I was very proud of you for that".

"I was proud of me too. And then that night, he came to my apartment and told me it was taken care of. And we've been so blissfully happy. He told me loved me in LA. And I told him I loved him too. And one morning, he surprised me and put a diamond bracelet on my wrist while I was sleeping. And then last night was our three month anniversary. And I thought to myself 'Way to go Jennifer, you finally found a guy you could trust and believe in and that would stick around longer than a few months'. And then, while I'm in the bedroom changing clothes, she shows up".

"Who?"

"Kristin. And I heard him tell her the same things he tells me when we are making love. He didn't just break my heart, he tore each broken piece to shreds and then put it in a meat grinder".

She leaned forward and hugged her for a few minutes.

"I'm just so damned mad at myself".

"You shouldn't be though. You had no reason to not trust him".

Jennifer wiped her eyes.

"I just feel so foolish".

"Have you talked to him?"

She nodded.

"He was waiting for me when I got here, outside".

"And?"

"And I told him I had nothing to say to him, and he begged me to let him explain and apologize. He had the nerve to ask me where I was this morning when he came by my apartment. I told him it was none of his damned business. And then he asked again if we could talk. So, since I imagine that the conversation will upset me, I told him to come to my apartment so that I don't have to be upset in public. And then he told me he loved me and I came inside without saying anything and headed straight to the bathroom".

"What if I came by tonight and was just there for moral support?"

"No, I'll be ok. I got myself into this mess, and I need to get myself out of it. Thank you though, I appreciate it".

She sat there and cried while Olivia finished her lunch and tried to compose herself. After Olivia was done, they walked inside and Jennifer headed to the 8th floor bathroom to redo her makeup. She finished her article and turned it in and was able to leave around 4:15.

Olivia gave her another hug as she left.

Jennifer's boss Brooks came up to Olivia.

"Is Jennifer ok?"

"She's going through a rough time in her personal life. But she'll be ok. She could probably use an out of town assignment or two to get her mind of things though".

"I see. I hate that for her. I hate to see her so down".

"Me too".

***Jennifer's apartment***

Jennifer came inside and took a long bubble bath with a tall glass of wine.

After she was done, she put on some pajama pants and a pajama top, and made herself some dinner.

She had just put her dishes in the sink when there was a knock at the door.

She steeled herself for seeing Jonathan, but she knew that she had to face this.

She opened the door and let him in.

"Hi".

"Hello".

She went and poured herself a glass of water and then took it to the couch.

He came and sat on the other end.

"I have thought about this all night and all I can say is I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"I see".

"I didn't know she was going to show up last night, I swear. She surprised me by taking her vacation early, and flying to see me when she had told me she was staying in Chicago. If I had known, I wouldn't have made you be present for that".

"You lied to me. You told me that you had broken up with her".

"No, actually I never told you that".

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't".

"Do you remember going to lunch with me and me telling you I wouldn't be the other woman?"

"Yes".

"Do you remember that I told you that we weren't going to be together again till you had ended your relationship with her?"

"Yes".

"And then you showed up at my place, and I asked you if you had, and you told me it was taken care of".

He sighed.

"I thought you were asking me about the arrangements for the test, Jennifer. I'm sorry, I misunderstood".

"So you knew that I wanted us to wait till after you had ended things with her, and then you went ahead and seduced me anyways, knowing that it was important to me?"

"I suppose so, you're right. I'm sorry".

"You should be. You had no right to play with my emotions this way and string me along and make me look so foolish. I am so embarrassed and I'm devastated, Jonathan. Absolutely devastated. I really loved you, more than I've ever loved anyone in my life".

"I really loved you too. I still do love you".

"Just not when you're with her, right?"

He sighed. "It's so complicated".

"Tell me something. Were you really away on business all these weekends? Or were you with her?"

"Do you really want me to answer that honestly?"

"Do you even know how to?"

"Fine. You want the truth, I'll give it to you. When I'm with you, I am so totally in love with you it hurts. When I'm with her, I am not as in love with her, but she and I do have good times together. And being with her is better than being alone, but not as good as being with you. And those weekends, I was with her. But it's important to me that you know that those times that I was here, with her, and you were here too, I wasn't ever with her after I developed feelings for you when you were here. She likes to make people think our sex life is better than it is."

"I heard the headboard knocking against the wall, Jonathan".

"Yeah, because she was making it do that. I was in her bathroom at the time, I wasn't anywhere near the bed, I swear".

"And I'm supposed to believe you?"

"I understand if you don't. But I promise you, it's the truth".

She wiped her eyes.

"Your promises are hollow to me now".

She took a sip of her water.

"So what was your plan? To see how long you could get away with this?"

"I didn't have time to think of a plan. I've just been so busy juggling the two of you and keeping you apart. When I was with you, I focused on making you happy. And when I was with her, I focused on us not getting into an argument. It's a whole lot easier to just go along with what she wants than deal with the drama afterwards".

"Well, allow me to make it easier for you. I will be one less thing you have to juggle in your life. I don't appreciate being breadcrumbed".

"Breadcrumbed?"

"Yes. I feel like you dropped bread crumbs in front of me to keep me on your path, and you had one path for me and one for her. And I resent that. I am a person, with feelings, Jonathan and I deserve honesty and loyalty".

"You're right. You do deserve that. And I promise from now on, you will get that".

"I might, but it won't be from you."

"Jennifer-please. Don't do this. Let me make it up to you. Come on, I'll buy you whatever you want or take you wherever you want to go. You name it, I'll do it. Just let me fix this".

"Don't you dare dangle carrots in my face! You cannot seriously expect me to trust you after all this. And you cannot fix things by buying me something or taking me somewhere."

"I don't. But I would love the chance to earn back your trust".

"It's not that simple, Jonathan. Don't you get it? Every time you tell me something sweet or something happy, or you and I are intimate, in the back of my head I'm going to wonder if you said that to her, or did that with her. I cannot live my life that way, Jonathan. I won't".

He put his head in his hands for a moment.

"I think you should go".

He looked at her.

"So, there's nothing I can do? Nothing at all?"

"Oh, there's something you can do. You can take this bracelet you gave me, and the flowers you sent me and all these cards you gave me and you can get out of my apartment and get out of my life".

She picked up the box and shoved it at his chest.

"Oh, I forgot. One more thing".

She grabbed his key and took it off her keychain.

"Can't forget this, little miss perfect might get locked out."

She tossed it in the box.

"You are the perfect one, Jennifer. I mean that".

"If that was true and I was good enough, you wouldn't have kept seeing her, now would you? Goodbye, Jonathan".

She practically shoved him out the door and closed the door behind him.

She locked it up tight and then headed to bed.

Jonathan sadly walked down to the front door of her building with his box of things and got in the car and left.

***The next morning***

Jennifer worked on her article very intently. She had a strict deadline.

Around 10:30, Morgan brought her a few deliveries. Two dozen pink and yellow roses in a crystal vase, plus a box from Tiffany's and a card with a very generous gift card to her favorite store, Marcelo's.

She dug for the card and read it.

" _I'm so sorry I hurt you, and I'm sorry you feel you can't trust me anymore. Please reconsider and let me prove to you that I can be trusted again, by you. I love you, all my heart. Jonathan"._

She opened the Tiffany's box to find a lovely diamond necklace and matching pair of earrings.

She decided to take a break, and went to the copy room and got a box.

She put the flowers in it, and the Tiffany's box, and the card and gift card. She grabbed her purse and clocked out.

She hailed a cab and asked the driver to take her to the Hart Industries building.

She walked into the lobby, and used the directory to see he was on the 7th floor.

She took the elevator to his floor, and walked towards his office.

She could see him through the glass doors.

He saw her talking to his secretary, and he buzzed her and told her to send Jennifer in.

"You can go in".

"No, that's not-"

She got up and opened the door and held it so Jennifer could go in.

She took the box and started walking towards him.

"I'm so glad you came. I guess this means you reconsidered?"

"I'm quite firm in my decision. I was just going to have your secretary give you these things, but you wanted a show, you got one. No amount of flowers, or jewelry, or gift cards is going to make me trust you again. You betrayed me not once, not twice, but hundreds of times. You didn't mean a damn thing you said to me, and you didn't seem to care that if I found out, I would be devastated. And you still don't get how hurt I really am. I don't know that you ever will get it. And I thought I made myself clear earlier, but apparently not. I don't want to see you. I don't want to hear from you. I don't want you to buy me things or send me things. I want to get over you and get on with my life. Goodbye, Jonathan".

She turned and walked out of his office.

***New York Times***

Just before Jennifer was about to leave for the day, Brooks called a staff meeting.

"I have a couple out of town assignments coming up. I need some volunteers. One is for a week, one is for two weeks and one is for 6 months. If you are interested, raise your hand. If you are not, you are free to go."

Jennifer thought about and finally raised her hand.

"First assignment is in LA-for one week. Covering various charity balls".

' _No thank you'._

"Second one is London, 2 weeks. Covering the Queen's royal ceremony".

' _Pass, depending on the next one'_.

"And the final one is in Africa. You will be living in a one room cabin, of sorts, and you will be covering and helping with a Wildlife Organization that rescues and rehabs injured animals. After you return, you will write a 6 part series covering your time there".

"Yes! I want that one".

"Ok, Edwards gets Africa. Here are the travel arrangements, you will leave this Monday. You will still get your regular salary while you are gone, so make sure you fill out a direct deposit form with HR before you go".

"Thank you, Brooks".

She went and grabbed her things and headed to clock out.

Morgan caught her just as she was leaving.

"Oh Jennifer, this just came for you. The courier said it was imperative that you get it today".

"Thank you, Morgan".

She opened the card and found that it was from Jonathan.

"You are the only one I want. Please, babe? I hate this. I know I caused it but I hate it, I really do. Just one step at a time. Please? I'll meet you out front. Just look for the guy holding a dozen roses. I love you love you". Enclosed were two tickets to see "My One and Only" on Broadway at 7.

She grabbed a sheet of paper and wrote him a quick note.

She tore the tickets up and put them back in the envelope with the note and sealed it with scotch tape.

She grabbed a label and wrote his name on it, and then covered her name with the label.

"Morgan, are you busy tonight?"

"No, I'm not."

"Great. I'll pay you $100 to take this to the theater where "My One and Only" is playing and give this envelope to the guy holding a dozen roses. Ask him if his name is Jonathan, first. If he says yes, give it to him and walk away. If he says no, then find the guy who is".

"Yes ma'am".

Jennifer pulled out a 100 dollar bill and gave it to her.

"I appreciate it".

She headed home and Morgan headed to the theater, right on time.

She saw two men standing there with roses.

"Hi, Jonathan?"

"No, I'm sorry".

"I'm Jonathan".

"Hi, Jennifer asked me to give you this".

She got in a taxi and rode away.

He stepped off to the side and opened it.

" _I am not your one and only, Jonathan. I am not good enough for that, I see that now. You apparently don't know the meaning of that phrase. Please stop trying to get me to spend time with you, I'm not interested. This is hard enough as it is. Please, just leave me alone"._

Jonathan headed to his penthouse, feeling like he had lost the only person in his life he ever really cared about.


	10. Chapter 10

Jonathan flew to Chicago that night and headed to Kristin's apartment.

He knocked on the door.

She opened, surprised to see him.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"I just came to see you, that's all".

"Well come on in, let me finish my shower really fast. Make yourself at home and I'll be right out".

She headed to the bedroom and closed the door while he stayed in the living room.

He decided to fix himself a glass of water and went to the kitchen to get one.

She had a pill bottle laying on the counter.

The name of the medicine caught his eye. Ceftrimaxone.

A few minutes later, she came out of the bedroom.

"Hi baby".

"Hi. Listen, can we sit on the couch for a second?"

"I guess".

"There's really no easy way to say this. I met someone else, Kristin. And I owe it to you, and to her, to figure out if my feelings for her are real. I don't want to drag this out any longer".

"I cannot believe you are doing this! Jonathan, I love you, don't you see that?"

"Kristin, this is for the best. And in time, I'm sure you'll see that. I'm sorry. You'll meet someone else, I just know it".

She stared at him and got this indignant look on her face.

"Maybe I already have".

"I know. I saw your medicine bottle on the counter".

He got up and left, and then headed to the airport.

He landed in LA about 6 hours later and headed straight home.

He walked inside and grabbed a beer from the fridge.

Max came in as he was taking a big swig.

"Hey Mr. H., how are you?"

"Hey Max".

"Is Miss Edwards with you?"

"No Max, she's not."

"Oh, I've seen that look before. What happened?"

"I screwed up, Max. I screwed everything up and I don't know that I can ever fix it."

"What happened?"

"I was dating Kristin. Jennifer moved in to be her roommate temporarily, and I developed feelings for her. We started seeing each other, and then she told me that she didn't want to be the other woman. She wanted us to not be together till I broke up with Kristin. And I meant to, but I didn't, and then it just seemed like I was always juggling everything. And then a couple nights ago, I was meeting Jennifer at the penthouse and Kristin showed up and surprised me. And Jennifer got hurt and I hate that."

"Are you crazy? Mr. H., she's the best thing that ever happened to you. Ain't a woman alive that holds a candle to her."

"I know. I've apologized, I've done all I can to make it right, but she won't give me another chance. I can't sleep, I can't eat, I can't do anything except think about her. I love her so much I can't breathe, Max. And I don't know how to get her to see that".

"Maybe she needs some time. Women need to know that they are loved and appreciated, and that they can trust you and depend on you".

"I've been trying to show her that. She won't give me a chance".

"Maybe she needs some time, like I said. Give it a little bit, and then send her a nice note to tell her that you miss her and you are thinking about her. Nothing extravagant-it's the thought that counts".

"You're right, Max".

"And there's one more thing. And this is the most important thing of all."

"What's that?"

"Dump that Kristin woman, and don't bring her here ever again. I don't like her and she don't like me and you can do way better than her".

Jonathan chuckled.

"I ended things with her last night. And I think she's been less than honest with me as well, because I found something in her apartment that I don't think she wanted me to see".

"What was that?"

"Medicine. For a condition that you can only get when you are unfaithful".

"I see. Well, even if Miss Edwards don't forgive you, you are better off without Kristin. And I have no doubts that Miss Edwards will forgive you in time, because I saw how she looked at you, Mr. H. She really loved you. You can't fake that".

"I know. That's what hurts me the most about all this. I really loved her too. And on some lower level, I loved Kristin. Or I thought I did. I can't believe she would step out on me, Max. I did nothing to deserve that".

"And now you see how Miss Edwards feels".

With that, Max got up and went inside.

***Sunday***

Jennifer was in her apartment, packing. She had paid her rent up for 6 months, and she had paid New York Power and Water $2000. That way if there were any charges while she was gone, they would just deduct it from her balance. Her savings account had taken a hit, but she knew she could build that back up.

She had packed 4 suitcases, and was working on packing her work bag and her carry-on bag when she heard a knock at the door.

She got up and answered it.

It was Olivia.

"Hi, I'm glad you came by. Come on in".

"I just came by to tell you bon voyage, or whatever you say to someone who's going to Africa. I can't believe I won't see you for 6 months".

"I know, it's going to be strange. Last week, I thought in 6 months I would be living with Jonathan in California. Now, I'm living with elephants and giraffes".

"Have you heard from him?"

"Not since I sent back the Broadway tickets with a note that said please leave me alone."

"Well, good. Maybe he has finally gotten the message."

"Maybe so".

They chatted while Jennifer finished packing. Olivia agreed to come by and get her mail for her once a week, and to come turn the water to drip if it was freezing.

"I really appreciate you looking after my place. And if something happens and you need somewhere to stay, please stay here."

"You're my best friend. Of course I will look after your place. Now promise me, that you will be happy in Africa? You will get over this Jonathan fellow and be happy?"

"I promise."

"And who knows, maybe you will find someone else who you are destined to be with".

"No, I don't think so. I think Jennifer Edwards has had her last fling. This heartbreak is hard enough, I can't imagine going through this again".

"Jennifer, any man will be lucky to get to be with you. You are beautiful, smart, genuine, kind, caring, and you have the best heart out of anyone I have ever met. And I'm not just saying that. And if someone can't see that or appreciate those things about you, then they don't deserve you".

"I'm not going to Africa to meet a man, Olivia. I'm going to do a job".

"I understand that. But you didn't move in with Kristin to meet one either, did you? And look what happened".

"Good point".

"How did your article turn out on the Commissioner candidate?"

"Well, I am leaving tomorrow morning, for Africa. And tomorrow afternoon, they are releasing the list of businessmen that contributed to his campaign and received favors in exchange for it. So, I'm going to call you from France on my layover so you can tell me about it. It comes out at 3, I'll call you at 4".

"Perfect".

Olivia stayed a little longer and then gave Jennifer a few hugs and left. Jennifer gave her a key and told her to ask Brooks for her contact information if something came up.

She went to sleep that night, dreaming of Africa and the open plains.

***The next morning***

Jennifer settled into her seat on the plane. She had used some of her miles to upgrade to first class all the way around. She had bought a few books to read and a new journal, and was anxious to get on with the flight. She read a little bit, and then decided to sleep some. She closed her eyes one minute and the next thing she knew, they were landing in France in ten minutes.

She got off the plane and headed to her gate and then found a pay phone. She called Olivia at the office and Morgan put her through right away.

"Hey, did you get it yet?"

"Yes, I'm printing it off right now. This list is over 5 pages long."

She started from the beginning and named several well known NYC businessmen.

"Ted Clancy, Peter Chambers, Michael Norris, Jonathan Hart, Paul Woodruff, Lance Dawkins…"

"Wait, go back. Did I hear you correctly? Did you say Jonathan Hart?"

"That's what it says right here. Jonathan Hart. H-a-r-t".

"Oh no."

"What is it? Oh, wait. You don't mean this Jonathan is….your Jonathan?"

"Yes, I do. Because he is. Well, he's not my Jonathan anymore, but you know what I mean".

"Jennifer, Brooks is yelling for me. I have to go".

"Ok, talk to you soon. Thanks, Olivia".

They hung up.

She debated on calling Jonathan, but then decided against it. She couldn't exactly open the lines of communication when it suited her and not expect him to do the same.

She shopped in a little store next to her gate and got a salad from a restaurant across the street and then just waited for her next plane.

About an hour before takeoff, she called her father.

"Hi Pa. It's me. I just wanted to let you know that I'm on assignment. And I'm going to be on assignment for 6 months, in Africa. If you need to reach me, Brooks at the New York Times has my contact information".

"Well, I know you have always wanted to go there, sweetheart. What made you go now?"

"It just came at the right time. I need to clear my head and rethink some things and there's no better way to do it than in the wilderness".

"Well, I hope you will enjoy your time, sweetheart. And I want a visit when you get back".

"You got it. I love you, Pa".

"I love you too, sweetheart. Be careful".

"I will, I promise".

She hung up the phone, and then 20 minutes later, boarded her plane to Africa.

***A month later***

Jonathan was in his office in LA.

He had just finished a phone call with some businessmen in New York. They were pulling out of the deals that he had made in New York. It all stemmed from him being named on the list posted by the New York times.

He picked up the phone and called his lawyer in New York.

"Hey Bill, can you help me out with this list thing?"

"That depends. What did you know and when did you know it?"

"I did contribute to his campaign, yes. But I did that because I believe in his causes. He told me I would get a tax break, but I told him that wasn't necessary, as I don't believe in tax breaks being handed to me. And I instructed my accountant to not use the tax break. I have that in writing".

"Send me a copy of that, and I will take it to the DA."

"Can you see if the reporter who did all this can maybe post a follow-up?"

"I can try".

"I don't normally do interviews, but I will absolutely do one in this case".

"I will pass the word along".

"Thanks, Bill".

He hung up and then pulled a copy of the memo out and overnighted it to Bill.

Deanne came in just then.

"Mr. Hart, the board wants to meet with you in an hour. And here is the mail".

"Thank you".

He looked through the mail and at the bottom were three cards he had sent Jennifer at the New York Times. All three had been marked "Return to Sender".

His heart sank, but he understood, in a way. He had really hurt her, and he deserved to have to feel that for a while.

He decided to keep these cards, in hopes that one day when she agreed to talk to him again, he could show her that he had tried from the beginning. That he had never stopped loving her.

He headed to his board meeting a little early, and then spent the next 4 hours convincing the board that he had not cheated or done anything fraudulent.

"I expect to be fully vindicated after all of this".

He headed home, grabbed a beer, and thought about Jennifer.

He was just about to climb into bed when the phone rang.

"Mr. H., it's your office. There's a problem at the London office".

"Thanks, Max."

He picked up the phone and yelled for Max to hang it up.

About 30 minutes later, he came downstairs with a suitcase packed.

"Change of plans, Max. I'm headed to London. I'll be there at least a week. I'll call you".

He grabbed a beer from the fridge and headed to the airport.

***A week later***

Jonathan was finally done with his business in London. He sent Jack home and decided to take a few days and fly home commercial.

He was finally on his way home and had an overnight layover in France.

He was in a taxi on his way to his hotel, just before dinner, when he got an idea.

He gave the taxi driver another address and asked him to take him there instead.

The taxi driver did as he requested, and then dropped him off.

"Merci".

He went inside and put his suitcase by the door.

He made his way to the back and saw who he wanted to talk to.

"Jonathan! It has been a long time! How are you?"

"I'm fine, sir. Just fine. I was hoping to speak to you a moment, if you don't mind".

"Certainly".

They walked outside and sat on a bench.

Jonathan parked his suitcase next to them.

"Mr. Edwards, I need a personal favor. I met your daughter, Jennifer, without realizing at first that she was your daughter. We decided to start seeing each other, and I feel I must tell you, that I am madly, hopelessly, completely in love with her, sir. She is the most intelligent, beautiful, dynamic, honest and caring person I have ever met. And I can admit that I didn't really understand what love was till I met her."

"Wonderful".

"And then I screwed things up. In a big way. The how and the why doesn't matter, as much as how we move forward from this. So, here's the thing. I've tried flowers, jewelry, tickets to a Broadway musical, love letters, the whole bit. I offered to buy her whatever she wanted or take her wherever she wanted to go, and she won't budge. She's adamant on never speaking to me again, and I just can't let that happen. So, if there's some secret that you know of that could help me out, I'd appreciate it."

"Son, I appreciate your interest in my daughter. And I do believe that your feelings are genuine. However, if she's not happy with you, I cannot make her happy with you. I learned a long time ago, when she's backed into a corner, don't poke her. Let her come out of the corner in her own time, and then deal with the situation."

"I see".

"I can tell you to give it a break for a while. For the next 5 months, she took an overseas assignment. She's not in the states, she's in Africa. So, if you are planning something big, you have a while to get it together".

"Thank you".

"Son, are you the reason my daughter feels like she needs to clear her head?"

"I don't know that for sure, but I assume I might be. I never intended to hurt her, and I will do anything I can to make it up to her, I just don't know what to do and everything I've tried hasn't worked".

"Son, my daughter would probably kill me for even talking to you about this. But I'm going to anyways. There's something you need to understand about Jennifer. If you can, imagine a ball of yarn, all the lines going every which way. Now, if you can, imagine an onion being peeled back, layer after layer after layer. Put those two together and you have my Jennifer. She's as complex as she is simple. And when you hurt her, it takes a pretty hard hit to get to her. But once you get to her, it's easy to go deeper than you expected. And what comes along with that is a longer recovery time. Above all, she wants to know that what she does matters, that she matters as a person. Now, as I said, I am not going to run interference for you, that's not my place. But, if she and I speak, I will tell her that you and I had a nice chat and that I believe what you say to me to be the truth".

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate it".

"I have to get back inside, son. But know this. If you and my Jennifer get back together, as long as she's happy, I'm happy. When she's not happy, I'm not happy, and nobody needs to see that".

"I love your daughter with all my heart sir, I truly do. I promise you, if she will give me another chance, I will never ever hurt her again".

"I believe you, son. It was nice to see you, and I hope to see you again".

"Thank you, sir".

He shook hands with Stephen and then headed to his hotel.

He checked in and called Max.

"Hey Max. Business is done, I'll be home tomorrow. And I just had a wonderful talk with Jennifer's father".

"Oh? Can he help you out on talking to her?"

"Not just yet. But…I'm not giving up just yet".


	11. Chapter 11

***A month later***

Jonathan was in his New York office. He had an appointment scheduled to be interviewed by someone at the Times.

He had requested Jennifer, but he hadn't heard back if she was available.

The interview was scheduled for 3 p.m.

At 2:45, his secretary told him the reporter was here.

"Send them in".

The door opened and a tall blonde walked in.

"Hello, I'm Olivia Watkins, of The New York Times".

"Hi, I'm Jonathan Hart. It's nice to meet you".

"I prepared some questions in advance. Here is a list of them. And if you want, you can type your answers and send them to me, or I can just ask you the questions and record your answers".

"Whatever is easiest for you".

The interview was a breeze. They talked back and forth, and she recorded the whole thing. He answered all of her questions and was very honest.

"Ok, I believe that concludes the interview, thank you for your time".

"Oh, thank you for doing this. You are helping me clear my name."

"Happy to do it".

"Are you the reporter who wrote the original article that started this investigation?"

"No, that was my colleague, Jennifer Edwards. She's overseas on assignment though, so I've taken over".

"Well if you talk to her, please tell her that I hope she is doing well".

"I will. And believe me, she is".

With that, Olivia turned and left the office.

***Jennifer***

Jennifer was in Africa, in her hut. Specifically, she was in Kenya. Her job was one that she absolutely, positively loved. She got to wake up each day and spend all day with animals. So far, she had seen an elephant give birth, a giraffe give birth, a cheetah give birth, and she had helped rehab two giraffes and a female lion. These animals were the absolute most magnificent animals she had ever seen. They were very docile, and actually wanted human touch. She had filled 2 journals already and was working on a third. She had decided to speak to Brooks about making this a weekly column that she would write, instead of just 6 parts. She didn't think she could do it in 6 parts.

She walked up to the hut where they kept the electric equipment. This was where they ordered supplies and food, and checked in about phone messages. There was also a mail drop, where Jennifer could send mail home. The entire process took about 2 weeks.

So far, she had sent her father and Olivia several letters. And in them, she tried her best to make them think she was happy. But the truth was, she was miserable. Sure, she loved Kenya, no doubt. But she wasn't happy without Jonathan. She was still hurt by what he had done, but she missed him, too. They had had some happy moments together, and she had honestly never loved anyone as much as she had loved him. On the other hand, she had never been as hurt by anyone else either.

She placed the order for supplies, and then walked back to her hut.

It was almost time for her to shower and go to bed.

She hoped that she would have time to write about her day in her journal before bed, but she didn't know if she would be awake long enough to do so.

Tarik, the camp's intern came around then with a mail call.

"Miss Jennifer, you got a few pieces of mail. And I came to tell you-the electronic ordering system in the office shorted out. So the whole thing will be replaced. I called and placed the order with the company before I started mail call. Should take about a week. So, if you need me, either walk up to the main hut or write down what you need and give it to me at mail call".

"Thanks, Tarik".

She tossed the mail on her bed and headed to take a shower.

After her shower, she came out and climbed into bed. She began to open her mail.

She had a letter from her father, which was short but sweet.

The next letter was from Olivia.

"I miss you! I hope you are having fun! I interviewed a hunk today-more details later. Hint: You know him REALLY well. Hint 2: He's a significant part of your last article. Hint 3: France. That's all you get, missy. When you come home, we are due for some pedicure and wine time. I love you, can't wait to see pictures".

Enclosed was a copy of Olivia's latest article.

Jennifer read it and was very impressed.

She made a few notes in her journal, and then drifted off to sleep.

She dreamed of Jonathan all night long.

***A week later***

"Ok everyone, we are meeting here at 4 a.m. sharp. We are flying Delta, so we are limited to 2 bags a person. I will pay for 2 bags for each of you, everything after that is on you. We will be gone a week. The weather is hot and humid in the daytime, and can get chilly at night, so pack accordingly. We will not only be bringing supplies and food, but I think it would be nice for us to pitch in however we can. These people are working for us, and they are doing it far away from their families and far away from those who care about them. So, let's do whatever we can to make it better".

Everyone gave him a round of applause and then he dismissed them.

He headed home and pulled up and parked.

He walked inside.

"Hey, Mr. H. Just in time for dinner".

"Hey Max. I'm heading on a work trip tomorrow, so I'll be gone about a week."

"Wonderful. Hope you have a great time".

"Thanks".

He spent the rest of the night packing, and then went to bed early.

He was excited for his team to see him in a positive light and hoped that this trip would be a new start.

***A few days later***

Jennifer was tired. The days were getting long and she was ready for the new equipment to get here. She had learned that while she absolutely loved Kenya, she didn't like being off the grid. She wasn't sleeping well on her lumpy mattress, but she was trying to make the best of it.

She decided to go for a run, and clear her head.

She ran about 15 miles with ease, and came back to her hut for a shower.

She had just gotten dressed when Tarik came by with the mail call.

"Mail call."

He handed her a couple envelopes.

"And here comes the new equipment".

"Wonderful".

She walked into her hut and put the mail on her bed and then came back out and headed up to the mess hall for dinner.

She overhead at the mess hall that the new installation would take about 4 hours.

She was approaching her hut when one of the workers came and asked her something.

"Do you live here?"

"Yes, I do".

"Would you mind terribly if we ran some extension cords from the electric hut to your hut, just until we get it working again?"

"No, not at all".

"Thank you".

They tried and tried but couldn't get it started again.

She came out and sat in a chair on her porch and watched them for hours.

A man came over and updated her.

"I'm sorry, but we can't get it working right. So we called for our boss and he's going to come fix it. Should only be another hour or so".

"Take your time, and thank you for fixing it".

Pretty soon, a new Jeep came up and worked on it for a little bit. They were losing daylight though, so they decided to stop and then started again in the morning.

Jennifer got up and went to bed. Her day off for the week was tomorrow and she was looking forward to sleeping in.

She climbed into bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

***The next morning***

Around 8 a.m., she was awoken by this incessant banging noise.

She tried to roll over and ignore it, but it was no use.

Instead, she got up, got dressed and decided to go to the dining tent for coffee and breakfast.

She walked out of her hut and headed toward the dining hall, which was also in the same direction as the electrical hut.

She heard him banging before she saw him.

"Excuse me! Can you not do that right now? It's early in the morning, for God's sake".

He turned around and his mouth dropped open.

"Jennifer!"

"Jonathan! What are you doing here?"

"Stanley, can you take over with this, please?"

"Certainly, Mr. Hart".

He turned to Jennifer.

"Can we walk and talk?"

"I suppose so. I was headed to the dining hall to get breakfast and coffee".

"In answer to your question, my company is the one supplying the electrical equipment for the camp. And we brought some supplies and some other materials so that we can fix whatever we need to while we are here. I apologize for waking you up, that wasn't my intention."

"I apologize for snapping at you. I haven't been sleeping well. How have you been?"

"Ok, I suppose. How are you?"

"I haven't been so well, but I'm working on it".

They walked into the dining hall and got breakfast and decided to take it back to her hut.

"Do you mind if I eat with you?"

"No, I'm fine with it".

They sat on her back porch because the breeze was better there, as well as the view.

They spent a few moments eating in silence.

"So?"

"So, I miss you immensely."

"Jonathan, that's not what I meant".

"I ended things with Kristin. And I found out that she had been seeing other people behind my back. And I hated that, really hated that. And as Max pointed out to me, now I know how you felt, and I'm even sorrier, Jennifer. I am so sorry that I hurt you that way. You didn't deserve that at all. If I could go back and change things, I would".

"What would you change? Would you stop seeing me so you could still see her? Would you stop telling me the things you were also telling her in bed? What would you change, Jonathan?"

"All of it. I wouldn't change meeting her and being with her, because otherwise I wouldn't have met you. But everything else I would change, for sure. I wouldn't have dragged it on as long as I did and I would have stuck to our agreement that we made at the restaurant".

She was quiet and stared straight ahead.

"I sent you some letters. They were returned to me, unopened."

"Where did you send them?"

"Your office, and your apartment".

"I am not the one who returned them, but what could you possibly say in a letter?"

"That I was thinking of you and that I missed you and I hoped you were well."

"That's sweet".

"I meant every word."

She was quiet for a few minutes.

"Jonathan, I need to say some things to you. First of all, I apologize for throwing champagne in your face. That wasn't kind of me, and I should have behaved better than that. Second of all, I did an article before I left to come here that led to an investigation. And you were named in the outcome of the investigation. I hope you know it wasn't my intentions to expose you or cause you any problems. I was simply doing the job I had been assigned to do, to the best of my ability. And third, I had no right to come and scream at you at your office. Again, I should have behaved better and I'm sorry. I appreciate the thought you put into the flowers and the jewelry and the tickets, and I appreciate the sentiment. It's just, it was too painful to see you and talk to you and not feel like I could trust you or trust what you were saying to me in those moments. I just needed some space".

"Jennifer, you don't owe me any apologies. I am the one that screwed things up and I take full responsibility for that. I was pushing you to see me and I shouldn't have. So I apologize for that".

"So where do we go from here?"

"Wherever you want us to go"

"What do you want?"

"Well, in a perfect world, I want you. But as you stated, this world is far from perfect".

"Yes, it is".

"Can I ask you something?"

"I suppose".

"Do you remember going to lunch with me, specifically the lunch where you gave me the ultimatum?"

"Yes".

"Do you remember me asking you why you were no longer with Ben and you telling me you would explain later?"

"Yes".

"Is it later yet?"

She took a deep breath.

"We aren't compatible, in specific areas. And I found out that he was lying to me, just like you were".

"I see. So you broke up with him because you weren't compatible?"

"I was going to, but then I caught him lying to me. So, that took precedence. Honesty is a huge thing with me, Jonathan. I don't take it lightly".

"I understand that".

He was quiet for a few moments.

"So, I answered your question. Will you answer mine?"

She nodded.

"What do you want?"

"I don't want to hate you, that accomplishes nothing. And I don't want to be miserable, because that's no fun. I want to be able to trust you again, and if it's meant to be, I want us to fall in love again, with a renewed understanding of what's acceptable and what's not. But, I'm scared. I don't take being hurt lightly, Jonathan. And I don't mean to be ugly, but I want you to understand the full scope of what you did to me. I've had my heart broken before, so I know what that feels like. This didn't feel like a broken heart, shattered into pieces, Jonathan. This felt like you ripped my heart out, smashed it to pieces and then ran the pieces through a meat grinder".

It started to rain, so she stood up and walked over to pull the bamboo shades. He helped her do the other side.

They walked inside to the living area.

He wrapped his arms around her in a huge hug.

"I'm so sorry I ever made you feel that way".

After a few moments, they ended the hug and sat down on the couch.

She looked at him.

"So, to continue answering your question, I guess I want to be able to start trusting you again. I don't think I can handle anything more than that right now. And I've thought about whether or not it's better for you and me to be friends instead of anything romantic".

"And what did you decide?"

"Well, I decided that in order to be friends, I would have to be okay with talking to you. And at the time I was thinking about it, I wasn't okay with that".

She turned to look at him.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to hurt your feelings".

"Jennifer, you have nothing to apologize for. I deserve this, not you. And I want you to answer me honestly, because otherwise, we aren't going to get anywhere".

She nodded.

"I do feel bad about the way I said things to you. I'm not saying I said the wrong things, but I feel I could have been a little nicer".

"Do you think that maybe you are going to be able to forgive me one day?"

"I already have. I'm working on being able to trust you. I don't want us to have this strained thing between us. I don't want to be walking down the street and see you and get a knot in my stomach. But I also don't know that I'll ever be able to feel for you what I felt before".

"That's fair. I want you to do whatever you need to do in order to be happy. That's all I want for you, is for you to be happy".

"And that's all I want for you too".

"Did you ever tell her you were seeing me?"

"No. I told myself that if she asked me, because I did tell her that I had met someone else, that I would be honest. But she didn't ask. And right after that, I confronted her on cheating on me, and she threw that in my face, so I left".

"How did you find out?"

"Medicine on the counter that indicated she wasn't faithful".

He took her hand in his.

"If I could go back, as soon as I felt myself developing feelings for you, I would have broken it off with her. I am so regretful that I didn't do that".

"That would have been the fair thing to do".

They were quiet for a moment.

"If I can get my hands on a Jeep, would you mind giving me a tour of this place?"

"Sure. Would you mind if I took a shower first?"

"Not at all. Why don't I come back in an hour?"

She nodded.

They stood up and he hugged her again.

"Thank you for talking to me".

He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and then left so she could shower.

An hour later, she was sitting on the front porch when he rolled up in a Jeep.

She climbed in the passenger seat and put her sunglasses on.

She directed him where to go, and then pointed out places along the way.

She showed him where the elephant sanctuary they had just built was, and she got one of the elephants to come to them so they could pet it.

"This is Nyla, she was born last month".

Nyla wrapped her trunk around Jennifer's arm.

"She likes me the best".

"I know the feeling".

They drove to the giraffe sanctuary next, and she pointed out the ones that she had helped birth.

"See the one over there with the green tag on his ear?"

"Yea".

"That's Mack. I helped rehab him, that's why he has the green tag on his ear, because he still has to get medicine each day".

They drove to the rehab place next and she showed him all around.

"This place could really use some kind of electronic x-ray system. Most of the time, the doctors can guess what is wrong with the animals, but for those times that we can't, x-rays would be helpful, since they can't talk to us".

One of the medics came and found her.

"Hey, I have to give Misha an injection. She's always much calmer when you are in there with her, so would you mind stepping in there while I give her a shot?"

"Not at all".

They walked around to her cage, and Jennifer walked in there with the tech.

Misha was very agitated.

"There, there. It's alright. You are so pretty, yes you are… so pretty".

Misha bucked when the tech injected her and started stomping her feet.

He tried to finish the injection, but she bucked again and then turned around.

"It's ok, Misha. Hold still".

Just then, Misha bucked a final time and kicked Jennifer in the head.


	12. Chapter 12

"Jennifer!"

He rushed in and picked her up and carried her out, while the other techs got Misha calmed down.

He found a couch to lay Jennifer on, and laid her down, putting her head in his lap.

A tech brought her an ice pack, and he held it on the bruise forming in the center of her forehead.

A few minutes later, she woke up.

"Ohhhhh".

"Careful, careful. Don't move too fast".

"What happened?"

"The giraffe was agitated and she kicked you in the head."

"Can I sit up?"

"Sure, just take it slow".

He helped her sit up and kept the ice on her forehead.

One of the medics came and checked her out and told her to go back to her hut and take it easy the rest of the day.

"I'll see that she does that".

"Don't leave her alone, if you can. If you see her exhibiting any signs of trauma, like slurred speech, loss of balance, things like that, bring her back here right away".

He helped her to the Jeep and tried to drive as bump-free as possible. They stopped at the dining hall and he got them some sandwiches and soup and some fresh water bottles.

He drove her back to her hut and helped her get settled.

"Can you find the Aleve in my black bag, please?"

"Certainly. How many would you like?"

"About 10".

He half chuckled.

"How about 2, to start?"

"Fine".

He got two pills out and then opened her water for her and held the pills out to her.

"Thank you".

He sat next to her on the bed and they ate the sandwiches he had gotten them. She managed to eat about half of her soup as well.

"I think I want to take a nap".

"I think that's a great idea".

He helped her into bed and tried to make her as comfortable as possible.

Pretty soon, she was fast asleep.

He stayed there with her and stretched out beside her.

About an hour later, he went and found Stanley.

"Do me a favor, will you? Here's some cash. Here are the keys to the Jeep. See if you can go to that market near the airport and buy a nice thick mattress pad and one of those egg crate things, that you put on top, will ya?"

"Right away, sir".

"Thank you".

He found some stationary on the table in her room, and it gave him an idea. He borrowed a piece of paper and a book to write on, and sat down on the couch while she slept.

About an hour later, he had written her the first of many love letters to come.

He folded it up and put it in his pocket.

He got up and covered her with a blanket and then stretched out on the couch and took a nap.

2 hours later, he woke up and found her still sleeping.

The ice bag was beginning to melt, so he gently took it from her and got her a cold compress instead. He gently placed that on her head and then went out to the porch.

Stanley pulled up about 10 minutes later.

"Hi Mr. H. Here you go. I found a mattress pad and an egg crate, and the mattress pad came with 2 memory foam pillows. It was a little more expensive, but I'm sorry, that's all they had".

"That's ok, Stanley. Do I owe you any money?"

"Not at all sir. Here's your change".

"Thank you".

He took the packages to the back porch and opened them so she wouldn't wake up.

He decided to try something. He quickly scooped her up, and put her on the couch, and covered her with the blanket.

Then, he quietly put the egg crate on the mattress and the mattress pad over it, and then changed out the pillows in the pillowcases.

After he had finished that, he laid down and gave it a test, and decided it was 50x better than before.

He got up, scooped her up again, and then gently laid her back on the bed and covered her up.

He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, lightly.

"Sweet dreams, baby".

He went back to the couch and sat down and started making a list of things he wanted to donate to the camp.

***Several hours later***

Jonathan had found Stanley again and waved him over.

"Can you run to the dining hall and see what's for dinner and then come back? I would go, but I can't leave her. She hit her head and she's resting".

"Sure. I'll be right back".

Jonathan sat on the porch for about 10 minutes.

Stanley came back with a list.

"Well, they are serving spaghetti and salad. Iced tea, and water. But the cook said that if she needs something specific, he's happy to make her whatever she wants".

"Oh, that's alright. Can you get us two spaghetti's, all the fixings, and two salads, plus some silverware and napkins? And two waters, please. And I promise, there's a bonus in your future".

"Not necessary, Mr. Hart. Happy to help out".

"Thank you, Stanley".

Stanley was back about 10 minutes later with their dinners, and the cook had put them in these special heat bags to keep it warm.

He ate his dinner and watched her sleep. Just as he finished his dinner, she woke up.

"Hi."

"Hi. How are you feeling?"

"Better, I think. Hungry".

"Well, you're in luck. I have your dinner waiting right here".

He got it out and got it ready for her.

"Thank you".

She looked around confused.

"Am I in my same hut? This bed feels different".

"Yes, you are in the same place. I laid down next to you after you fell asleep and felt how lumpy the mattress was. You mentioned earlier that you hadn't been sleeping very well, so I sent Stanley to the market by the airport. He bought a new mattress pad, one of those egg crate things, and the mattress pad came with two pillows".

"And you put it on the bed before I fell asleep?"

"No, after. I picked you up and put you on the couch, and then put it on the bed and then put you, back in bed. You slept through the whole thing".

"I see. I don't remember any of that".

"You were in a deep sleep".

"Thank you for doing all that".

"You're welcome".

He finished making his list while she ate, and then she stated she wanted to take a shower.

"I'll sit on the porch while you do that, so you can have some privacy".

"Thank you".

She took a 20 minute shower and then dried off and put on her pajamas.

She opened the door when she was through, and he went back inside.

She was sitting on the bed putting lotion on.

He looked over and saw her using the lotion bottle to get a crick out of her neck and shoulder.

"Here, let me get that for you".

He got behind her and started massaging her shoulders.

"Oh, that feels fantastic".

He rubbed her shoulders and her neck for her for about 30 minutes.

"Feel better?"

"Much, thank you".

She turned to look at him.

"Will you do me a favor?"

"Of course, I will".

"I don't have a mirror here. Can you tell me what my face looks like? I mean, in regards to where I was kicked?"

He got up and got a flashlight.

"Close your eyes".

She closed her eyes and he turned the flashlight on and shined it on her face.

"I can see a bruise starting to form. But no cuts or anything".

"Thank you".

"Do you want me to make you another compress?"

"Yes, please".

He went and made her one and came back.

"Thank you".

She picked up her book and tried to read, but it made her eyes hurt, which made her head hurt.

She started to put it away.

"Here, why don't I read it to you? You can close your eyes and relax and I'll lay right here next to you and read it to you".

"Ok. I'm afraid you won't find it interesting, Jonathan".

"Remember this number. 34".

She nodded.

He quickly read the back cover and found that she was reading a trashy romance novel.

"Is this the stuff you like to normally read?"

"No, but it was the best they had at the France airport".

"I see. Ok, so what page were you on?"

"34".

"Gladiola caressed his thigh as he kissed her silky flesh and made her heart whimper with adoration".

He looked at her.

"I have no idea what any of that even means".

She chuckled.

"Do you want me to explain it to you?"

"If you want to".

"She had her hand on his thigh. He was kissing her and she was enjoying it".

"Why didn't they just say that?"

He continued reading.

"He slowly bit all the buttons of her shirt until it lay open on her chest, and then stood up. He ripped off his cloak in one full swoop, showing her what every woman dreamed of seeing".

Jennifer looked a little embarrassed.

"Why don't we skip through this part?"

She took the book from him and turned the page.

"Here. Pick it up, here".

"Gladiola and Francois continued to make eyes at each other across the room. This didn't go unnoticed by Benson, although he wasn't ready to confront her just yet".

Jonathan turned to Jennifer.

"Ok, I'm confused. What is he going to confront her about?"

"Well, Gladiola is this girl who's had a hard life. And she's married to Benson, who isn't really in love with her, but can't afford for her to divorce him. And she's been having an affair with Francois, who isn't exactly available himself".

"Is he married?"

"To the church".

"He's a priest?!"

"Yes. That's why he was wearing a cloak".

He got back to reading.

"Gladiola, I love you. You are the only star in the sky on a sunny day". He changed his voice as he read the next line, to a high-pitched southern drawl.

"Benson, there are no stars in the sky during the daytime".

He changed his voice back to a manly southern drawl.

"Gladiola my love, I only see stars when I look at you and your indelible beauty".

"Benson, can't you come up with anything original?"

Jennifer was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe.

"Francois saw her from across the room and immediately felt his loins perk up with heat".

He used a husky French accent for Francois.

He read her one more chapter, which she laughed through more than she understood, and then handed it to her.

"Thank you, that was very entertaining".

"Glad I could be of help".

"Are you ready to go to bed?"

"I think so".

He stood up and kicked his shoes off and stripped down to just a t-shirt and boxers.

He grabbed the pillows he had replaced and tossed them on the couch and stretched out. His legs were hanging over the edge at the knees.

"Jonathan, come lay in the bed. You'll be more comfortable".

He sat up and looked at her.

"I don't want you to be uncomfortable".

"It's fine, honest".

He stood up and grabbed the pillows and tossed them on the bed. He used one to put between them as a barrier, and then stretched out on the bed.

It was a tight fit, but they managed.

After he got settled, she reached up and turned out the light.

They lay there in the darkness for a few moments.

"Jonathan, can we talk for a second?"

"Certainly".

"How's Max?"

"How's Max? He's fine. He about kicked my butt over what happened between you and me".

"He did?"

"He did. And I deserved it. I was shocked by it, because I didn't expect him to be that straight forward with me, but I deserved it none the less. And I listened to it and took it to heart".

"I wasn't asking you that to make you uncomfortable. I really do care about Max. And I care about you too".

"I know you weren't. And he really does care about you. He told me in no uncertain terms that regardless of whether you and I resolved things, if I brought her back to the house, he would move out".

"I see".

"I met your friend Olivia".

"You did? When?"

"You know that article you published, that led to the list?"

"Yes".

"So, my lawyer arranged an interview with the Times, because yes, I did contribute to his campaign. And yes, he did offer me a tax break. But I didn't do it for the tax break, so I instructed my accountants not to use the tax break. And I wanted to get the word out. So, my lawyer thought an interview in the Times would be the way to go. I requested you, but Olivia came instead and told me that you were overseas".

"Interesting".

A storm rolled in and lulled them to sleep.

At some point in the night, she rolled over and put her arms around him.


	13. Chapter 13

***The next morning***

Jennifer woke up around 8, and realized she was snuggling with Jonathan.

She gently removed her arms from around his waist.

' _So much for barrier pillows'_

She got up and headed to the bathroom and then came back. She picked out what she wanted to wear for the day and took it into the bathroom with her.

After she was changed, she started loading up her laundry and stuffing it into a bag.

Jonathan woke up and stretched and saw what she was doing.

"Morning".

"Morning. Stay as long as you like, I'm going to go do some laundry".

"Here, let me help you with that".

He got up and threw his jeans on and slipped into his shoes and threw his polo on.

He picked up the bag for her and took it out to the Jeep.

He drove her to the laundry hut.

"Thank you".

He dropped her off and then drove to the hut next to where he was staying and showered and changed.

He came back to the laundry hut and walked inside.

"Hi".

"Hi. I just came by to tell you that we are moving on to the next place, and it's about an hour from here. We are leaving now and we won't be back till tonight".

"Oh, ok. Have a nice time".

"Are you going to be ok?"

"I'm fine, Jonathan. Really".

"I'll come find you when we get back, ok?"

"If you want".

She watched him walk away, and then got back to her laundry.

After her laundry was finished, she went to the supply tent and found a hammock. She hung up it in the tree next to her hut, and then grabbed her book and climbed in.

She stayed there a few hours and then fell asleep after a while.

She woke up just before dinner, and walked up to the dining hut, and grabbed a meal.

Everyone was glad to see she was feeling better, even though she had a nasty bruise on her forehead.

She walked back to her hut after she finished eating and caught up on her journal. First thing in the morning, she wanted to go check on the animals in the rehab and see how they were doing.

She was just about to go to bed when she heard him calling her name.

"Jennifer? Jennifer, you here?"

"I'm in here".

He came on in and found her on the back porch tying down the bamboo shades.

"Hi".

"Hi".

He walked over and took her hands in his.

"We had the most incredible time today. We helped repair a bridge. It wasn't much, just hammering, and new nails and replacing some of the planks with new lumber, stuff like that. But the best part was after".

"After?"

"Yeah. See, I was so confused, as there was no water flowing underneath the bridge, not even a trickle. So, while we were working, some of my engineers figured out the problem, and they drove up the banks of the river and Mark, David, and Joseph, I swear they are the best engineers in the business, they climbed down into the dry river and they took shovels and they dug out a huge hole where the water was jammed from flowing. And they repurposed some PVC pipe and stuck the pipes in there in a way that I never would have thought of, ever, to keep the water flowing."

"That's wonderful!"

"And the best part is, when the water flowed, it really flowed. And all those people who lined up on the banks, to watch us, started cheering. They were so happy that we had fixed their water supply".

"And then what?"

"Well, then the police came by and told us to leave, because we had made some people angry. I've racked my brain over and over and over again, and I can't figure out why people would be mad about increased water flow. Mark and David and Joseph are going to go back in the morning and make sure the flow is controlled. They were brainstorming ideas on how to do that the whole way back".

"Jonathan, what was the name of the town that you were in?"

"Kajuli, I believe".

"Oh, dear".

"What, what is it?"

"When I first got here, my first 4 days were spent in a sort of, orientation like thing. And they told us about the neighboring cities and all that. And one of the things they mentioned heavily was Kajuli was feuding with people to their north, the town known as Yjipse. As a result of their feud, which is land based, the Yjipse's blocked the river so that it wouldn't flow past their property lines. And all attempts the Kajuli have made so far to reason with them, or to fix it, haven't fared well. Yjipse usually fights back with violence. You might want to go warn Mark, David and Joseph to not go back there alone. Or to stay on the Kajuli side when they do".

"I'll do just that. Actually, why don't I drive you to their tents so that you and I can explain it to them?"

"I suppose. I need to change first".

She grabbed a pair of capri sweat pants and a tank top and stepped into the bathroom to change.

She threw her hair up into a ponytail and then came out and told him she was ready.

They drove to the tents that Jonathan had set up for his group.

He turned to her after he parked.

"Why don't you stay here in the Jeep, and I'll bring them to you?"

"Fine with me".

She sat there while he went and rounded up the guys.

She told them as quietly as she could what she had told Jonathan and implored them to be careful.

"There is a guy that works here at the camp, named Tarik. He is a local-he has a friend named Sakba, who I'm sure would be more than happy to accompany you guys if you want. You can find Tarik at the main hut, at the entrance to the camp".

"Great idea. Why don't we go talk to Tarik right now?"

"Perfect. I'm going to drive Jennifer back to her hut. If you need me in the next hour or so, you can find me there".

"Jonathan, I can walk back. It's alright".

"No, I don't want you doing that. It's not safe. I don't mind driving you".

She chose not to fight him because it was a long way back to her hut.

"Pile in the back, guys".

The guys climbed in the back of the Jeep and stood up while Jonathan drove them to the main hut with Jennifer's directions.

Jonathan pulled the Jeep up to the main entrance. Jennifer got out so the guys could get out.

Joshua kissed her on the cheek.

"He was right, you are so beautiful".

"Hey man, she's mine".

Jennifer shot Jonathan a serious look.

"That's not true. And thank you, Joshua".

She walked into the main hut and introduced them to Tarik.

"Thank you, Miss Jennifer. I will do whatever I can to help them. Are you going with them in the morning?"

"No, I will be at the rehab center".

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Jennifer".

"Thanks, Tarik".

She walked back outside to the Jeep and got inside. Jonathan drove them back to her hut.

"Want to sit on the back porch for a bit?"

"I suppose".

They walked back through the hut and onto the back porch.

"Jennifer, are you upset with me over something?"

"I'm not upset. But we do need to straighten something out. I am not yours, Jonathan. I thought you understood that by now. You had your chance with me and you blew it, through your actions. That doesn't mean that you own me, or that you ever did. You had no right to tell Joshua that I was yours".

"Jennifer, I didn't mean it that way. I meant that in a different context. I apologize that it came off the way you interpreted it".

"What other context could it have?"

He sighed.

"There's something that guys who are friends use, called a bro code. It basically says that when there is any hope at all for a man and woman to have a relationship, that other guys don't make passes at the woman out of respect. So, my statement was more along the lines of making sure he knew that I am interested in you, and less about portraying you as my property".

"Jonathan, I don't want to hurt your feelings. But you and I aren't in a place where I feel like I can trust you in a way that will allow us to have that kind of relationship you want us to. If I want to go out with someone else, I will, and I expect you to do the same."

"I appreciate that. But I hope you see that I am doing and I am willing to do everything I can in order for you to trust me again. And I can't imagine going out with anyone else."

"Yeah, well I couldn't imagine you going out with anyone else either, but you did".

"That's an unkind statement".

"It's an accurate statement".

He stood up.

"Maybe I made a mistake in not going home the second I saw you. I'm sorry. I think I should just go".

"Jonathan, wait. I don't want you to leave angry. That's not my intentions. We need to resolve this".

"I'm not angry at you. I'm angry at myself".

"For what? I don't think your comment was meant to be intentionally hurtful".

"That's not it. I'm angry because you and I should be happy and in love and together and it's because of me that we aren't. And then you wanted space and had to force me to give it to you, and then I thought I was doing a good thing by coming on this trip to Kenya. And I see you and instead of respecting your need for space, I immediately started trying to get you back. And now, I realize I just might have lost you forever. And I don't really know what to do right now, because I don't think I can live without you, there's no point to a life if you aren't in it".

She stepped forward and hugged him for a long time.

"I'm sorry, Jonathan. I really am".

"This is my fault, not yours".

"Jonathan, come here".

She took his hand and led him to the bed and stretched out on it. She patted the bed next to her and indicated that she wanted him to sit next to her.

She took his hand in hers, and then looked at him very seriously, but also very lovingly and gently.

"Our breakup was your fault. But that doesn't mean that you are a horrible person or that there isn't a chance for a reconciliation. I didn't say never, I said not right now. I was surprised to see you when we first saw each other here, yes. But I haven't been wishing that you hadn't come here or that you had turned around and left. That wouldn't have been nice nor fair of me. I don't know that we will end up together again, and I do see that you are trying. But I do know that you and I can be friends if nothing else".

"Jennifer, there's something I haven't told you. I wasn't trying to hide it. It just hasn't come up. But, I want to tell you everything in the interest of being honest".

"Jonathan, if this is about you and her, I promise you, I don't want to know".

"It's not. I promise."

She nodded.

"I had some business in London. So, I decided to take a few days and spend them in London when my business concluded. And I decided to fly home commercial, so that my pilot wasn't just laying around waiting on me. As a result, I had an overnight layover in France. And I went to see your father".

"I see."

"We had a very nice conversation. I was very honest with him, and told him that you and I had met and started a relationship, but that I screwed up and ended it."

"what was your purpose in telling him this?"

"I had to tell them reason I was asking him what I was there to ask him".

"Which was?"

"I told him that I tried flowers, jewelry, gifts, tickets to a play, everything I could think of to make you happy so you could forgive me, and that it wasn't working, and I wanted to know if there was some secret trick that he knew of that he could tell me to try. I impressed upon him that it is my intention to make things right and to treat you like you deserve".

"And what did he tell you?"

"That he wasn't getting involved. And he told me that you were in Africa, but he didn't tell me you were in Kenya. So, I really thought we weren't going to run into each other here".

She was quiet for a minute.

"Are you mad that I talked to him?"

"No, actually. I think it was very sweet of you to go talk to him."

"Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything, you know that".

"Do you miss….us?"

She was quiet.

"Yes, I do. Very much so".

"What do you miss the most?"

"I don't know, actually. I miss you kissing me, and I miss us making love, but I also miss the spontaneous moments too, like when we were in LA and you pulled me into your lap, or when we were in New York and you would just wrap me in a hug. And I miss laughing with you, and I miss our phone calls".

"You have no idea how much I want to just take you in my arms and make love to you right now. You aren't the only one who misses our relationship. I'm trying to respect your boundaries, so I promise you, I'm not going to do that."

"Thank you".

"Well, I better go."

He climbed off the bed and stood up and slipped his shoes back on.

She stood up to walk him out.

"Jonathan, I never told you thank you the other day for taking care of me after the giraffe incident. I appreciate you staying with me".

He stepped forward and hugged her.

"You don't have to thank me for that. I care about you, I still love you, Jennifer. Of course, I wanted to make sure you were ok".

"Goodnight, Jonathan".

He kissed her forehead but didn't let go of her.

He stared at her for a moment and then leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. More than a peck, but not as romantic as they were accustomed to.

"Goodnight".

She walked him to the door of the hut, and before he could walk through it, the guys came running up to the hut.

"Jonathan, come quick. Something happened. Our tent and your tent were totally destroyed".


	14. Chapter 14

"Jennifer, I'm sorry. I'll talk to you tomorrow".

She nodded.

"You can come back tonight if you need anything".

"Thanks".

He gave her an appreciative look.

About a half hour later, he came back.

He knocked on the door of her hut.

She got up and let him in, and he followed her back over to the bed.

"So how bad was it?"

"Well, someone cut the strings to our tents. And they popped our air mattresses. And then they poured mud on all of our clothes. I had a couple of outfits in my carry on, so I have some clothes for tomorrow. But that's about it. They poured mud all over the guys clothes too. They are up at the laundry hut right now, doing laundry."

"I'm sorry, Jonathan".

"I think I'm going to go with them in the morning. I feel like they wouldn't be here without my company making this trip happen, so I should go with them and take part. It's only fair".

"Jonathan, you're welcome to stay here tonight, if you want".

"I appreciate that. But after our conversation earlier, I don't want to make you uncomfortable".

"You won't, I promise".

"Would you mind if I took a shower?"

"Not at all. I can go on the porch so you can have some privacy".

"No, that's not necessary. I can make do in the bathroom. Go ahead and get in bed, you're tired and you have to be up early too".

He set his bag that had all his stuff in it on the couch and dug out his shaving kit and rinsed it off in the bathroom.

After a quick shower, he put on the only semi-clean t-shirt he had and his cleanest pair of cotton drawstring shorts and came out of the bathroom.

He quietly slipped into the bed beside Jennifer and stretched out. She opened her eyes and rolled over to face him.

"Do you have enough covers, have enough room?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good, thanks".

"What time are you going in the morning?"

"I hope to be up at 5 and there by 6".

She sat up and grabbed her alarm clock and set it for 5.

"You didn't have to do that".

"Jonathan, you are living out of a garbage bag. All your stuff was trashed, basically. I don't mind helping you out".

Even though both of them wanted nothing more than to hold each other, they somehow found a way to fall asleep without doing that.

***The next morning***

Jennifer heard her alarm clock go off. She reached up and turned it off. Jonathan was still sleeping soundly.

"Jonathan….Jonathan…."

She rolled over and started rubbing his chest with her hand.

All of a sudden, he grabbed her face and kissed her passionately, laying her back down on the bed and climbing on top of her.

She managed to break the kiss, but instead of stopping, he moved his kisses to her neck.

"Jonathan! What are you doing?"

"You are so beautiful…"

"Jonathan, come on…."

She grabbed his shoulders and shook him.

He woke up.

"What's going on?"

"Seriously?"

"Is it 5 already?"

"Yes, it is".

She was resetting the alarm for when she had to get up.

"Was I talking in my sleep?"

"More than that".

He looked embarrassed.

"I'm sorry."

"We'll talk about it later".

She rolled back over and went back to sleep while he quietly dressed and headed out.

She woke up when her alarm went off and got ready and headed to the rehab center.

After checking on all the animals and taking lots of notes, she was done for the day shortly after 1.

She went back to the hut, and gathered Jonathan's laundry and her sheets, and took them to the laundry hut. It took her several washes but she was able to get the mud out of everything. She had everything folded and then took it back to her hut.

She caught up on her journal and wrote some letters to her dad and Olivia, and then headed to the dining hut.

She ate her meal with the others and then got Jonathan a meal to go, and brought it back to her hut.

About an hour later, he walked in, dirty, filthy, and exhausted. He was cradling his arm.

"What happened to you?"

"Well, Tarik's friend met us and was supposed to be watching out for us. And when he stepped away, we were ambushed. They slashed two of the Jeep tires. And when they caught me changing the tires, they physically attacked us. They kept saying "Our river" over and over and over."

"Oh my goodness, are you ok?"

"My shoulder hurts like hell. And I cannot wait to take a shower."

"Let me look at it". She started unbuttoning his shirt and gently helped him take it off.

She had him sit down on the bed and helped him take his t-shirt off.

"Let me get a rag, hang on".

She made a cool compress and then dabbed his shoulder with it.

"Jonathan, this is bleeding pretty steadily. And it looks pretty deep. I think we should go to the medical tent and have you checked out".

"Ok."

She helped him up and he elected to not put his shirt back on. She put a bandaid on his cut, and then they walked to the medical tent, just a few huts down.

The tech on duty, Sanjay, determined that he did need stitches.

"What did they hit you with?"

"A wooden steak with nails in it".

Jennifer's heart sank.

"Have you had a tetnis shot recently?"

"Yeah, when I had to get my shots to come here".

"Ok, I'm going to numb you, and then I'm going to clean the cut and then I'm going to stitch you."

Jennifer pulled up a chair and sat next to him.

He winced when they numbed his shoulder, but everything after that was smooth sailing.

About a half hour later, they were ready to go back to Jennifer's hut.

"Ok, here is some ointment. You have a long scratch on either side of your cut, and you really need to put ointment on it morning and night. Out here, it's really easy for it to get infected. And here are some waterproof bandages for your shower".

"Thank you".

Jennifer helped him up and they headed back to her hut.

"Are you hungry? I got you a meal earlier from the dining hut".

"Yeah, but I don't have time to eat. I have to go salvage what's left of my clothes".

He walked into her hut ahead of her.

She went and got his dinner ready while he went to his bag.

He came over to her and took the meal from her and set it down on the table.

He hugged her as much as he could and held her for a few minutes.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do my laundry, but I'm beyond thankful you did".

"You're welcome".

She sat with him while he ate and they talked about the river.

"So as it turns out, what the guys did worked so well that the Yjipse's can't figure out how to take it apart. They don't have the tools to break it."

"Were the others hurt?"

"No, we were in two Jeeps. So at the first sign of trouble I sent them ahead. I think I might go have a meeting with everyone and tell them that we are going to focus our efforts on this area for the remainder of our trip".

"How long are you going to be here?"

"Just a couple more days".

"I see".

"How long are you going to be here?"

"I still have 3 ½ months left."

He finished his dinner and Jennifer took the containers to the trash.

She came back and found him getting out one of the waterproof bandages.

"Would you mind…I can't reach it".

"Not at all".

She put the waterproof bandage on his cut and then went to the back porch so that he could shower and change.

"Call me if you need some help".

He managed by himself and came out with a towel wrapped around his waist. He changed and then joined her on the porch.

"Feel better?"

"Much".

"So what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Well, I was going to work on redoing the floor in the dining hut, but I don't think I can now. I'll just have to supervise".

"That's probably best".

He started yawning, so she helped him up and they went to bed.

She gave him a pain pill the medic had given him, and then got him settled in the bed.

She climbed in beside him and set the alarm.

"Jennifer-what happened this morning when you woke me up?"

"Well, I think you were dreaming."

"About what?"

"Being with me".

"How do you know?"

"Well, you sort of climbed on top of me and it was pretty obvious".

"Did I hurt you?"

"Not at all. I was just trying to wake you up because….well, boundaries".

"I see".

He leaned over and kissed her temple.

"I'm sorry".

"It's alright".

They turned the light out and went to sleep.

As she drifted off to sleep, she kept thinking about how she enjoyed the kiss and the attention he had shown her that morning.

***Middle of the Night***

Jonathan started thrashing about in his sleep.

Jennifer turned on the light and shook him really hard to wake him up.

"Jonathan!"

He bolted straight up and was panting.

"Hey…hey it's alright. Just a bad dream".

She got up and got him some water and came back to bed.

He drank the water and then tried to lay back down.

She turned the light off.

"No, turn it back on please".

She reached up and turned the light back on.

"I just need a minute".

"Do you want some more water?"

"No, I think I'm good. Must have been the pain pill. I don't always react well to those".

They laid there a few more minutes and then he told her she could turn out the light.

She heard him breathing heavily again, and patted his hand.

"It's ok. I'm right here".

He laced his fingers through hers, and a few minutes later, fell back asleep. As soon as she knew he was asleep, she fell back asleep too.

***Later that morning***

Jennifer woke up and got ready as quietly as possible. She wrote Jonathan a quick note to come find her at the animal sanctuary when he woke up.

Around 9:45, she was assisting with a zebra birth when Jonathan came in.

She stepped out of the zebra cage to go get more medical supplies when she saw him.

"Hi. How are you feeling?"

"Much better, just sore. I wanted to come tell you that my crew and I are heading south and will be back tonight around 9".

"Please be careful".

"We are going to stop and get new air mattresses and tents on the way back. Do you need anything?"

"Yes, actually. Can you pick me up a journal? I don't really care what kind, as long as it has lined pages."

"You got it. Have a good day".

"Thanks, you too".

She grabbed the medical supplies and got back in the cage and about an hour later, they had a new baby zebra. It was a girl, which is what they wanted.

"Ok, this is your first zebra birth. You get to name her".

"Me?"

"Yes. It's tradition".

"Hmmm. Let's see. I love her eyes…..they are sort of a California blue color. So, how about Cali?"

"Cali it is. Thanks for your help, by the way".

"I am loving this".

Jennifer got to feed Cali and then give her a bath.

By the time she got back to her hut, she was more than ready for a shower.

She took a long hot shower and then walked over to the dining hut and grabbed dinner. Everyone was talking about how Jonathan had been attacked.

She listened to them talk about it and chose not to interject anything. After she was done eating, she headed back to her hut.

She was sitting on the back porch writing in her journal when Jonathan pulled up in the Jeep.

He came into the hut and had a couple bags with him.

She got up and went into the bedroom.

"Hi. Have a nice day?"

"Yeah, actually. You?"

"The best. I can't wait to tell you all about it".

"I have a surprise for you".

"You do?"

"Yeah, I do".

He called over his shoulder.

"Bring it in, guys".

The guys from his crew came into the room each carrying a case of her favorite sparkling water.

"Just set them on the couch".

"Where did you find that?"

"At the market in town. I cleaned them out, all for you. I did the math. 48 cans in a case, and we got you 4 cases, so that's 192 cans of sparkling water. That should last you about 3 weeks, tops".

She chuckled.

"Something like that".

"And we brought you some fresh ice from a restaurant near the airport". He handed her the cup.

"Thank you". She opened a can and poured it in the cup and took a sip.

"Ahhh".

She turned to the guys.

"Thank you".

They left and then Jonathan turned to Jennifer.

"Can you do the ointment for me again, please?"

"Sure".

He sat on the bed and tugged off his shirt and she dabbed some of the ointment on the scrapes and then put on a fresh bandaid for him.

"How does it look?"

"Black and blue, mostly. A little green in places. Your stitches are healing quite nicely".

She helped him put his shirt on again, and they went and sat outside on the back porch.

She told him all about Cali being born, and everything she got to do afterwards.

"That sounds amazing".

"It was the neatest experience. And I got to name her Cali".

"That's a pretty name. How did you pick it?"

"Her eyes. They are the same color as the ocean was the day you took me sailing in LA".

They listened to the sounds of the animals for a little bit, and then she turned to him.

"Jonathan, what exactly are we doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, are we friends, are we on the same page, what are we doing?"

"I told you the other night that I want us back, but that I respect the fact that you aren't ready. So, you tell me".

"If I could, I wouldn't be asking. I'm enjoying spending time with you like this."

"I'm enjoying it too".

"It's nice to be able to enjoy each other's company without pressure".

"Pressure?"

"Yes. And in our case, pressure was spelled K-r-i-s-t-i-n".

"Oh yes. Pressure. I definitely don't miss that".

"Only problem is, you leave in two days, and I'm here another 3 ½ months".

"Well, when you get back to New York, you know how to get in contact with me. So, what if you take these 3 months and figure out how you feel about us? I know where I stand, and what I want. You figure out what you want. And then when you figure it out, call me".

"And you're ok with that?"

"I have to be. You are in Africa, Jennifer."

"Yeah, I am".

"So, what are you planning on doing when you get back to California?"

"I have a project in mind that I want to start. Other than that, I am going to keep working on the projects I've been working on".

"Did you straighten out the list thing?"

"I think so".

They sat out there a little longer and then decided to go to bed.

Jennifer got out her calendar and crossed off the day.

As soon as she saw the number, she burst into tears.

"What is it?"

"It's nothing, I'm just being silly".

"Jennifer, what is it?"

He sat beside her on the bed.

"Today is my father's birthday. And it's the first one I haven't spent with him, and I'm just missing him, that's all".

He wrapped his arm around her and held her for a moment.

"I'm sure he understands. It's ok".

"I feel like such a horrible daughter. I didn't even call him today".

"You aren't. Look at all the good you are doing here. And you can call him tomorrow and he will be just as happy. It's the thought that counts".

She wiped her tears and took a sip of her sparkling water.

He leaned in close and kissed her temple.

"I hate to see you so upset. Let me hold you tonight".

She nodded.

He quickly changed and she climbed under the covers.

He came and joined her and then she turned out the light. She snuggled up to his chest and he wrapped his arms around her and held her all night long.


	15. Chapter 15

***The next morning***

Jennifer woke up and found that she was still in Jonathan's arms. As much as she knew she needed to get up, she damn sure didn't want to. If she was honest with herself, she was a lot closer to trusting him again than she had let on. And she was loving every minute she had to spend with him, in Kenya.

But just like all fairytales, they have to come to an end sometime. And theirs was coming tomorrow.

She eased out of his embrace and got up and quietly took a shower.

After she was ready, she left him a note that she had an early shift at the rehab sanctuary and to have a good day.

Today, she got to drive the Jeep to the different animal sanctuaries and check on the animals that were well enough to live in the wild again. After she did that, she spent the rest of her shift at the rehab sanctuary, and assisted with medicating several of the animals.

She was a little hesitant to go into Misha's cage again, but she did it. And this time, she fed her a bunch of leaves while they gave her the shot and she didn't even notice.

"Good girl. That's a good girl. Yes, you are a good girl, aren't you?"

Misha licked her cheek and Jennifer kissed her on the nose.

After her shift was over, she headed up to the main tent and used the phone to call her dad.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Pa? It's Jennifer".

"Jennifer, my sweetheart. How are you?"

"I'm fine. Happy late birthday, hope it was a good one".

"It was wonderful, sweetheart. I missed you, but I'm sure we will see each other soon".

"As soon as I am back in the states, I will come for a visit, I promise".

"I cannot wait for that, my sweetheart. Are you enjoying your time in Kenya?"

"I am. I am getting to work with animals in the wild and I absolutely love it".

"That's wonderful. I cannot wait to hear all about it".

"Well, I cannot wait to tell you about it. Unfortunately, I have to go now. I love you".

"I love you too, sweetheart. I'll talk to you again soon".

"Bye Pa".

"Goodbye my sweetheart".

She hung up and headed back to her tent.

Jonathan had left her a note saying that he and the crew were heading east to Majowli today, and he would be back late tonight.

She poured herself a sparkling water, and then climbed into the hammock and decided to read her book for a little bit.

She stopped long enough to eat dinner, but then went back to her tent and back to the book.

She heard Jonathan call her name when he came in.

"Back here".

She marked her place and stood up.

"Hi. Have a good day?"

"Yeah, I did. We helped build two houses and rebuild a bridge."

"How wonderful! I know the people there appreciate that".

"What about you, what did you do today?"

"Well, I went to all of the animal sanctuaries, and checked on the animals that we had rehabbed in each one. And we released the baby zebra that was born last month into the sanctuary. And then I got to assist with medicines for the ones in the cages. And I fed Misha while she got her injection today".

"You fed the one that hurt you?"

"Yeah, I did. I was nervous, but I decided to try feeding her and it worked. She didn't even feel the needle".

"That's great".

"And then I went and called my father and spoke to him for a little bit, and then I spent the rest of the afternoon reading".

"So what are Gladiola and Francois up to?"

"I'll let you read it tonight and find out".

"Well that's the thing. I can't stay in here tonight. I'm going to stay in the tent with the crew tonight".

"Oh. Alright".

"Don't be mad, I just don't want to disturb you in the middle of the night when we have to leave".

"I'm not mad. If you think that's best, then that's what you should do".

She moved past him and went inside the hut.

He followed her inside.

"Jennifer-you have to get up early in the morning and I don't want to wake you up".

"Well, if you aren't here, you can't wake me up, can you?"

"No, that's why I'm staying in the tent. We have to leave for the airport at 4 in the morning".

"I understand, Jonathan. It's no big deal".

She stepped into the bathroom and washed her face.

As she dried off her face, she turned to him.

"I think I'm about to go to bed".

"Alright. Well, it was great to see you. I hope to hear from you when you get back to the states".

"It was great to see you too".

She gave him a hug that was all too short for his liking and then he left.

She climbed into bed as soon as he left and turned out the light. Suddenly, the bed that seemed way too small for the two of them seemed massive with just her in it.

***The next day***

Jennifer woke up when her alarm went off. She got up in a sleepy daze and headed to take a shower. She came out to get dressed and saw a rose and a note on the pillow next to her.

' _Jennifer-_

 _I don't like the way we left things-but I figured waking you up to explain and fix it wasn't the best idea. I hope this note will suffice. I have been trying all week to respect the boundaries that you asked for-space to figure out if and when you can trust me again. I'll admit that I want more than just a friendship, but I'm willing to let you set the pace and I don't want to screw anything up. And you need your rest, Jennifer. You are working with wild animals. Plus, it's easier for me to get everyone on the plane if we are staying together. I meant what I said-when you get back to the states, please look me up. -Jonathan"._

 _P.S.-I picked this flower for you yesterday next to the bridge we fixed. It's a perfect African Daisy. Hope you love it._

She smelled the flower and then put it in a makeshift vase. She made a mental note to get 2 books to press it between to preserve it.

She worked a long and arduous shift at the rehab. A lot of the animals were sick and needed lots of care, and it broke her heart to see them that way. By the time she got back to her hut, she was exhausted.

She sat down to write Jonathan a letter, and then realized that she didn't have his address. She wrote one to Olivia instead, and then fell asleep right after.

***Jonathan***

Jonathan landed in Zurich, his layover on the way home. They walked through the airport and took a shuttle to the airport hotel he was putting everyone up at.

After he checked everyone into their rooms, he told them to get their keys from the desk clerk.

"We are all meeting at the gate for our next flight home tomorrow at 1 p.m. So, adjust your watches and get some sleep".

He went to his room and took a hot shower and then changed for bed.

He had a king-sized bed in his room, but he was craving the full size bed he had shared with Jennifer. More than that, he was craving her. He wished like hell he could call her and tell her he had gotten here ok. He wished like hell he had kissed her goodbye. But he hadn't, because that wouldn't have been very respectful of her boundaries. If only he could physically take those damn boundaries and throw them off a cliff….

He kept flashing back to Max's speech that he had given him.

"Treat her like she deserves before she finds someone else who will. That means listening to her, respecting her feelings and giving her space when she needs it".

He dreamed about her as he drifted off to sleep.

***A few weeks later***

Jennifer had gotten into a comfortable routine-working with the animals in the wild in the morning, and in the cages in the afternoon. She was loving being able to see them set free into the wild. She wasn't a licensed vet, so she wasn't allowed to go on the emergency runs to pick them up when they got the call that there was an injured animal, but the rest was the next best thing.

She had finally stopped missing Jonathan so desperately. And she was slowly starting to think about extending her time in Africa and not going back to the US.

There were pros and cons to it, of course. She missed her father immensely, and she missed tons of things about New York. She missed writing too, as well as researching. She could always go on holiday and see her father in Paris or London. And if she learned the local language, she could write for a local newspaper, one day. She decided to give it some more thought.

She was just coming back to her hut when Tarik came around with the mail call.

"Miss Jennifer, you are mighty popular today. You got a couple letters and a package".

"Oh thanks, Tarik".

She took her mail back to her hut and sat down to open it. First letter was from Olivia, and full of the usual gossip and I miss you's. Second letter was from her dad. The last two letters were from Jonathan, and so was the package.

She opened the first letter.

" _Jennifer-_

 _I'm writing this while you are sleeping off being kicked in the head by the giraffe. Either you will remember it or you won't, it's too soon to tell. You are the most beautiful sleeper. And as I'm watching you sleep, I'm feeling very grateful for many things. One thing I'm grateful for is that I met you-and while our relationship didn't have the best footing, and yes, that's totally my fault, I do believe that anything that happens for us from here on out will be better than it was before. I'm feeling so grateful that I was there to help pick you up and get you away from that giraffe. I hate to think what could have happened had I not been there. Like I told you on the porch, I did know that you were in Africa, but I didn't know you were in Kenya. I prefer to think that we were meant to see other in Kenya, and that's how come we got so lucky. I am going to try and write to you the rest of the time you are there, if you are ok with that. I guess I'll ask you later if you are. If you are reading this in Kenya and I've already gone back to LA, please be careful and stay safe._

 _Love, Jonathan._

She folded the letter back up and put it in the envelope.

She opened the package and found another note on top.

" _Jennifer-I thought you might want to see these, as I know you like to keep things like this. Well, you used to keep the ones from me, anyways. And don't forget the bundle at the bottom. I miss you more than I ever thought possible-Jonathan_

She found a bundle of about 20 cards that had been mailed to her. Some had her home address, others had her office address. She recognized the handwriting of the 'Return to Sender' as Olivia's.

She opened each one and read the sweet words he had written. It really hit home to her not only how hard he had tried to impress upon her how he feels about her, but also how he was completely transparent and put all of his emotions aside and just opened his heart to her. She wiped her tears away and opened the package.

On top of the package was another note.

" _I noticed you were running low on this-and I remember it being your favorite. So, here's some more. I miss you-Jonathan"._

She opened the rest of the package to find her favorite skin care products and the body lotion she had just ran out of.

She teared up at his thoughtfulness. She put everything away and headed to the main tent. She used the phone to call his office.

No answer. She did the math and realized that he was probably at home. She quickly dialed his private line at home.

"Hello?"

"Jonathan? Hi, it's Jennifer. Did I wake you?"

"Jennifer? Hi! That's alright. What time is it?"

"It's just after 6 p.m. here. What time is it there?"

"4 a.m."

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to say thank you for the letters and the package and all the cards".

"You're welcome. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine".

"Glad to hear it".

"Jonathan, would you be upset with me if I told you that I might want to extend my stay here in Africa?"

"Well, how long are you thinking of staying?"

"Indefinitely".


	16. Chapter 16

"If that's what you think you need to do, then you need to do it. I don't want to stand in the way of your dreams. And, it's always been your dream to live and work in Kenya".

"That's true. I'm so conflicted. One minute, I can't wait to get back to New York, and the next minute, I never want to leave here at all".

"Well that sounds like a normal part of the decision-making process".

"I hope so. I just hope I make the right decision".

"As Max has always told me, when your head decide, your heart will".

"Good ole Max. Tell him hi for me, will you?"

' _Come home to me and tell him yourself'_

"Of course, I will".

"Well, I have to go, but there's one more thing I need to tell you".

"What's that?"

"I miss you."

"I miss you too. More than you could ever know".

"Well, I'll talk to you soon. Thanks again for the package and the letters".

"Your welcome, darling."

"Bye Jonathan".

"Bye Jennifer".

They both hung up the phone and smiled.

Jennifer went back to her hut. She was just about to throw the box away, when the bottom of the box came up and she realized that there was another package at the bottom.

She opened it and found a wrapped package with a note on top.

"I saw these at the airport. I know how you like closure, so here you go. I can't wait for you to tell me what happens. Love, Jonathan".

She unwrapped the rest of the package and found that he had sent her the rest of the books by the author of Tender Harvest, the book about Gladiola and Francois.

She tried to not get misty eyed, but she lost that battle. This was one of the most thoughtful and meaningful things anyone had ever done for her. It was thoughtful, meaningful, goofy and silly all at the same time.

She tore his return address off the package and stuck it in her wallet.

She sat down and wrote him a long letter back. She only wished she could see his face when he got it.

***Three weeks later***

Jonathan was at the office, counting down the minutes till his meeting was over.

He was tired of projection reports, and financial reports, and data reports. He wanted a cold beer, some hot food, and his bed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a lot to consider. How about we take a day or two to read over all this and then we vote at the next meeting, next week?"

They all agreed and he adjourned the meeting.

He stopped back by his office and gathered the mail.

Deanne, his secretary, had sorted the mail into a personal pile and a business pile. He grabbed the personal pile and took it with him.

Max was out for the night, so he knew he would have the house to himself.

He picked up dinner, and then grabbed a beer out of the fridge as soon as he came in. He loosened his tie as he took the first gulp.

He sat down on the couch, and opened his mail.

He thought he recognized the address on the blue envelope, but he wasn't positive.

He opened it and found a letter from Jennifer.

" _Dearest Jonathan-_

 _This is silly, because we just got off the phone, so forgive me. But when I got back to my hut, I found the second package in the bottom, with the books. I cannot believe you did that! It was so thoughtful. I cannot wait to read them to you. I feel I must tell you that I think I am finally past all the Kristin stuff. It was so nice to see you and spend time with you, without walking on eggshells around each other. I only wish that you could have stayed longer._

 _I still haven't decided if I am going to stay or come home. I am not sure what it will take for me to make my decision; I only know that I will feel what I should do when the time comes._

 _Everyone in Kajuli is still loving the fact that your team got fresh water flowing in their end of the river again. Everyone on this end is very appreciative of what you and your team did. And everyone loves the dining hut floor._

 _I feel like an authentic African woman this week, as the washers and dryers are no longer working correctly. So, we've been handwashing our clothes and hanging them on a clothesline. It's been interesting, but I've made do. It's amazing how much your perspective on the world changes when you learn to do without luxuries you always took for granted._

 _Well, I need to get to bed, so I'll end this now. I'm sure I'll have more to write later in the week-we have three animals that we are rehabbing and two more that are due to give birth. I cannot wait to experience it all._

 _I miss you tons-_

 _Love, Jennifer"._

It did his heart good to hear from her. He was hoping that she would call him again. He missed hearing her voice and her laugh. _Gosh, she has the best laugh._

He decided to pull the trigger on the special project he was working on.

He made a few phone calls, and ended up expanding the project even farther.

He decided he would ask the employees of his office to donate, if they were willing.

If he could pull this project off, then maybe his dream would come true just like Jennifer's.

***Three weeks later***

Jennifer was in the rehab center. She was in the cage with Mayli, one of the elephants that was supposed to give birth. She was 2 weeks late, and miserable. Jennifer had volunteered to stay with her till she gave birth, to give the tech a break.

Jennifer had slipped on the coveralls and brought in a fresh pail of water. She was trying to put cool water on Mayli's head, but so far she was resisting. It seemed like every time Jennifer got near her, she moved away.

Jennifer started singing to her, in a calm, soothing voice.

"Twinkle, twinkle little star….how I wonder what you are…."

Mayli roared very loudly.

"Ok, so I won't sing. Want me to just talk?"

She seemed to calm down some.

Jennifer told her story after story and put some water down for her to drink. She sucked it down, quickly.

She stepped out and got her some more water and then called for the tech.

"I think she's close".

She went back to the cage and started talking to Mayli again.

She could see a foot coming out of the birth canal. Mayli kept moving forward and trying to squat with her back legs, and then roaring. It was obvious she was in pain.

Jansen, the tech, came in and examined her.

"We are going to have to sedate her, and do a c-section".

He ran to get his tools and call for backup.

Jennifer kept refilling her water, until they sedated her.

It took about 10 people to lay her on her side, and they had to ask Jennifer to step out of the room. She watched through the bars as they performed the c-section. About an hour later, the baby had been delivered.

The cord was wrapped around its neck and it wasn't breathing. They tried everything they could to revive it, but it was no use.

Jansen sighed.

"She's gone".

Another tech came out and told Jennifer.

"She didn't make it. The cord was too tight."

"Oh, I hate that. Can Mayli recover?"

"We'll see. Elephants are often very despondent when their offspring dies. If she makes it through the night, she'll have a good chance".

Jennifer looked sad.

"Why don't you go on back to your hut? You've been here almost 14 hours. I'll take the next shift so you can rest".

"Ok, but if you guys need me, come get me".

She headed back to her hut, and stopped by the dining hall to get something to eat.

After eating, she went back to her hut and had a long, hot shower. She collapsed into bed right after, and slept 10 hours straight.

***The next morning***

Jennifer went to the dining hut and got coffee and breakfast to go. She brought it back to her hut and sat on the back porch, in the hammock.

She was still troubled by losing the baby yesterday. Helping animals and seeing Kenya was one of the reasons she came here. Losing animals was always a possibility, but it was never part of the deal.

"Jennifer? Are you here?"

"Come on in, I'm on the back porch".

One of the techs, Lacey, came through.

"Hi. I just wanted to come by and tell you that we named the baby elephant. We gave her the name Hope".

"Oh that's beautiful."

"Yeah, I thought so too. Jansen said he would bury her in the field this week. Next to her mom".

"Oh, no. I was hoping that she was going to make it."

"We did too. She woke up around 3, and became aggressive, and there wasn't anything we could do to get her to calm down. So, we took her temperature and it was about 12 degrees too high. We finally had to just put her down".

"Sounds like you did all you could".

"Yeah, we really did. We were really pulling for her, though. She's going to get an autopsy though".

"That's good. I know animals drink a lot, but I was really surprised at how much water she drank and how fast".

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I got her the little bucket of water, and then I got her the bigger bucket of water, and I must have refilled the bigger bucket about 10 times".

"I see.

"Well, thanks for the update".

"Sure. I'm going to head to my hut and get some rest".

"You deserve it. Goodnight".

"Goodnight".

Lacey headed out, and Jennifer continued to sit in the hammock.

About an hour later, she heard a loud rumbling noise. It got louder and louder and louder.

She went to investigate and walked out the front of her hut.

As soon as she got outside, her mouth dropped open. She saw at least 15 big trucks coming into the camp.

She watched them drive up as far as they could and decided to walk up and see what was going on.

The trucks parked and lined up, and then the drivers started getting out.

Finally, she recognized the last one.

She waited till he saw her and started walking towards her. She met him halfway and hugged him.

"I missed you".

"I missed you too".

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, when I came the last time, I saw what needed to be donated. So, I made it happen".

He took her hand and led her towards the first truck.

Everyone gathered around.

"My name is Jonathan Hart. I own Hart Industries in the United States. And when I was here several weeks ago, I saw that you guys were in need of somethings. So, I found a way to make sure that you got them. I contacted several business contacts and they agreed to donate as well. So, in this truck, we have materials to build bigger or rebuild worn-down huts. And in the next one, we have new mattresses and linens for every hut. And we have mirrors, we have medical supplies, we have plumbing and electrical equipment, and we also have washers and dryers for the laundry hut. We have generators, and water purifiers and fans and you name it, we have it."

Everyone was cheering.

"So, we will start to unload these trucks, one truck at a time. We are going to need crews to help us take the materials to specific places. If you are willing to help out, please go see Stanley over by the last truck".

He took Jennifer's hand and they walked to the truck he had just gotten out of.

He reached behind the driver's seat and got his bags and then turned to her.

"Until I get my tent set up, can I put my bags in your hut?"

"Absolutely".

They headed to her hut and dropped his bags off and then went to help unload the trucks. Jennifer pitched in right alongside everyone else, and in just a few hours, all the trucks were unloaded.

Jonathan went to check in with Stanley, and they found that he had formed crews to get everything done.

"Mr. Hart, I think we are good. If you want to start driving the trucks back, we can do that now".

"Sure, that's a good idea".

They decided to leave one, just in case.

Jennifer rode with Jonathan to take the first truck back.

"Ok, so tell me how you did this?"

"When I was taking care of you after Misha kicked you in the head, I made a list of what I saw that people here needed. And on the short list, was new mattresses, new beds, new laundry facilities, new plumbing and electrical equipment and some of the huts needed to be rebuilt. Especially if people are going to stay here full time".

"This was so kind of you".

"I am kind of sitting on something else, that nobody at the office even knows. And that is, I am opening up a subsidiary of Hart Industries, and it will be known as Hart Industries International. Our first office will be in Nairobi, and our second office will be in London. So, if something happens at the camp, the Nairobi office can come take care of it, and the people in the city can have jobs and this should help boost the economy".

"That's a wonderful idea".

They dropped off the first truck and rode back in the Jeep to pick up the second one.

Jennifer drove the Jeep behind Jonathan this time, and then he drove them back in the Jeep.

After about 3 hours, they had delivered all but 2 of the trucks.

"Jonathan, can you drop me at my hut? I need to go to the bathroom before we go on the next drop".

"Sure".

He dropped her off and then drove up to the trucks again. About 20 minutes later, he walked into her hut.

"Change of plans. Two of the guys are headed to do the drop instead. So we are done".

"Oh, wonderful".

"And Stanley says you are next on the list for a new mattress".

"Wonderful".

She took her linens off the bed and put them on the couch.

"How did the births go?"

"Well, the giraffe that we were going to bring to the center, she ended up giving birth in the wild. So far, everyone's ok. I was in the center when Mayli gave birth to her elephant, but there were complications".

"What kind of complications?"

"Well, she was having a hard time progressing, and she was growing increasingly more agitated. So, they decided to sedate her and do a c-section, because she wouldn't let anyone touch her. When they delivered the baby, the cord was wrapped around its neck and it didn't survive. And then, sometime in the next 24 hours, she passed away as well."

"I'm sorry, that's so sad".

"Yeah, it is."

He opened one of his bags and handed her a 6-pack of sparkling water.

"Perfect timing, I just ran out".

"I brought you something else too".

"What?"

"This".

He leaned forward and framed her face with his hands as he captured her lips in the most perfect kiss.

A few minutes later, she broke the kiss and looked at him.

"Jonathan…I can't".


	17. Chapter 17

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you".

"I'm not upset. I just think we should remain friends."

"Is there a specific reason that causes you to feel that way?"

"I still haven't decided if I want to go back to the states or if I want to stay here, and I don't want to complicate your life when I haven't figured mine out".

"You aren't complicating anything. You are throwing all of it away, but you aren't complicating it".

"Throwing all of what away?"

"Any chance that we have to be together. I can't keep chasing after you, Jennifer, and letting you destroy me each and every time I tell you how I feel about you. You were the best thing that ever happened to me, and I am responsible for you and I no longer being together, but I refuse to be treated like I don't matter anymore".

He grabbed his bags and walked out of her hut, leaving her standing there shocked.

She decided that she would wait till he calmed down to talk to him again and explain her feelings. No sense in talking to him when he's angry.

She caught up on her journal and then headed to the dining hut to grab dinner.

Afterwards, she went back to her hut.

Stanley and his men arrived with her new mattress.

"No thank you, the old one is just fine".

She shut the door to her hut and made up the old bed.

About 10 minutes later, she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in".

"Why are you refusing the new mattress?"

"Because. I don't want you to be able to say I owe you anything. You think I'm throwing everything away, and I disagree, but you obviously don't care about my feelings, so I feel it's best if I don't owe you anything. So, this old lumpy mattress will do just fine".

"You're right. I didn't listen to your feelings. But this isn't about your feelings, this is about my donation. So, take the damn mattress!"

"I beg your pardon".

"Boys, bring it in".

He picked up her old mattress and hauled it to the front porch of her hut by himself, and the boys brought in the new mattress and put it on the bed.

"Fine. I'll sleep in the hammock".

She took the sheets to the hammock, and climbed in.

He followed her.

"When you are ready to quit being so stubborn and talk about this, you know where to find me".

"Me, being stubborn?! Me? That's rich. Goodbye, Jonathan".

He turned and left her hut without another word.

***The next morning***

Jennifer went to the dining hut for breakfast. She saw Jonathan come in just as she had gotten her food, so she took it back to her hut.

He thought about going after her, but decided that he didn't want to start the day off with an argument.

He spent the day working on the laundry equipment, and then finished the day working on one of the huts that was being built.

Jennifer spent her day in the rehab center.

Just as she was about to leave, the tech came and got her.

"We just got a call that there's an injured elephant in the field near Kajuli. Can you ride with me? I'll need some help getting her into the trailer and you can ride back with her in the trailer, administering if necessary".

"Certainly".

Jennifer and the tech, who she found out was named Will, rode to Kajuli. They found the elephant and got her in the back of the trailer with no problem. Jennifer rode in the back with her.

About 15 minutes into the trip, the car stopped. Will opened the trailer, and told her to get in the front.

"We are going to have to make a detour".

"Where?"

"The police office up the road. I saw someone pouring chemicals in the river, and the animals use that river, so I want to report it".

Jennifer stayed in the car while Will went inside. She reclined the seat and took a little nap.

All of a sudden, the car started shaking and she opened her eyes to see several big men surrounding the car, pushing on it and shaking it hard.

They were chanting "Get out".

The police came out, and chased them off, and Will was able to get in the car.

As he got in, one of the policemen looked at him.

"I hope you take my advice".

He drove them out of there and back towards the camp.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. What advice was he talking about?"

"He said that they are targeting the river and that for our safety, we need to shut the camp down since we help the animals that are being harmed by the poisoning of the river. So, when we get back to camp, we are going to go tell Tarik what is going on".

"Shut down the camp? Isn't that a little drastic?"

"Not according to the police. They think that they will come after us next, for helping to save the animals. And judging by the what the guys were doing to the car, they are probably correct".

They headed back to the camp and went straight to Tarik, the head of the camp.

Will and Jennifer were inside explaining what happened to them and what they saw when Jonathan came in. He overheard part of it, but not all.

Jennifer never noticed that he had come in.

"Tarik, is shutting down the camp necessary? I'm happy to stay and help out. Someone has to, the animals need us".

"I agree. I am not going to make anyone leave, but I am going to close it to future guests".

"Thank you".

She turned and realized that Jonathan was there. Without saying anything to him, she headed back to her hut.

About 10 minutes later, Jonathan came to her hut.

"Can we talk a second?"

"I don't want to argue, Jonathan".

"I don't either. I just wanted to let you know, that given the recent events, I am moving my team out of here tonight and we are going back to the states, asap. There's a seat for you on the plane with us, if you want it".

"No thank you".

"Jennifer, it's not safe to stay here. Please come back with us".

"Jonathan, I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself. I can also decide for myself what I am going to do. And I've decided that I'm going to stay".

"Well, the offer still stands, if you change your mind".

He turned around and walked out.

Later that night, just before she was about to go to bed, Tarik came to her hut.

"Hi. I just got word from the embassy that they want us to shut down the camp for several weeks. So, I know that you elected to stay, but I think it's best if you go. They are rioting and burning homes in Kajuli right now".

She nodded.

"Thank you".

She started packing her clothes and her things, and quickly changed clothes.

She was struggling to carry all her bags at once, but she was determined to make it.

Stanley saw her and ran over to her.

"Here, let me help you".

"Oh, thank you".

Without another word, he took her bags to the van with the other Hart Industries luggage.

"No, that's not where-"

She took off after him, and finally caught up to him.

"Can you please take my luggage to the main hut? I'm going to call for a cab".

"You don't have to do that, we have plenty of room".

She turned to find Jonathan behind her.

"Fine, this is just a ride to the airport, nothing more".

He nodded and she went and got in the van.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hart. I thought you guys were friends".

"It's alright, Stanley. It's complicated, but it's not your fault".

He got in the front seat and Jennifer settled into one of the back seats.

They rode to the airport and she went to the ticket counter and purchased a ticket to New York, while the rest of them were trying to change their ticket to Los Angeles for later in the week to the next flight.

After her ticket was purchased, she went and found him.

"Thanks for the ride. My flight leaves in an hour, so I'm headed to my gate".

"Be careful, please".

She nodded.

"It was great to see you".

"Thanks, it was good to see you too".

She turned and walked away, and left him wondering if he would ever see her again.

***48 hours later***

Jennifer had finally arrived back in New York. She got to her apartment and was pleased to find it just like she left it.

Her first order of business was to take a hot bubble bath.

She immediately ran one and sank into it. After a blissful hour long soak, she got out and put on fresh pajamas.

She called Olivia and told her she was home and they made plans for a pedicure the next day. She called her father and told him she was home and he was immensely grateful that she was safe.

She ordered some Chinese food and had it delivered while she just vegged on the couch. As soon as she ate dinner, she fell asleep.

***California***

Jonathan's plane landed shortly after midnight. He took a taxi home.

Max was still up.

"Max, you here?"

"In here, Mr. H. What are you doing home so early?"

"The camp wasn't safe and we had to clear out".

"So, did you see her again?"

"Yeah, I did. And I didn't go well. I kissed her, hoping she would remember how we felt about each other. And instead, she withdrew and said she wanted us to just be friends, since she was still undecided as to whether or not to stay or come back to the states. So, I left and then we didn't get to talk again. She went on a run to save an elephant, but there was trouble on the run, so that's when they decided to close the camp. I ended up giving her a ride to the airport, but before I could get to the ticket counter, she had already purchased her ticket, and she purchased it for New York".

"Geez, I'm sorry, Mr. H."

"Me too, Max. I think I'm finally ready to let go of the possibility that she and I could ever be together".

***The next day***

Jennifer met Olivia for a pedicure, and they were elated to get side by side chairs.

She filled her in on everything, including Jonathan coming the first time.

"So was he respectful?"

"He was the first visit. We had an argument the second visit".

"What could you possibly argue about in Africa?"

"Well, he came in and his hut wasn't ready yet, so he wanted to put his things in mine until it was. He gave me a gift, and then he said he had another one. He leaned forward and kissed me, and then I told him that I thought we should just keep things between us as friends, because I still hadn't decided if I wanted to stay or go home yet. He got all upset and said I was throwing everything away and turned around and walked out. Then we avoided each other the next day, and the next night, they closed the camp because his team helped unblock a river and some of the locals were upset about it. So, he insisted on giving me a ride to the airport. As soon as I bought my ticket, I thanked him for the ride and headed to my gate".

"So where do things stand now?"

"I don't know. I haven't heard from him. We didn't have a chance to talk privately after he left my hut".

"So, you admit that you miss him and you feel like you could trust him again. Why don't you call him and ask him when he's coming to New York the next time?"

"That's a good idea."

Jennifer picked a sparkly raspberry for her toes, and dark blue for her fingers.

She hugged Olivia several times and thanked her for taking care of her place.

"Where are you headed?"  
"Home".

"Want to grab dinner?"

"Yeah, let's. I'm craving New York pizza".

They went to Stromboli, and had drinks and pizza. It was so fun to have girl talk again.

"So, when are you coming back to work?"

"Tomorrow, I have a meeting with Brooks at 1".

"Wonderful!"

Jennifer headed home and crawled into bed. She dreamed of Kenya all night long.


	18. Chapter 18

"Brooks, I don't want to transfer. I'm happy here, I really am. I took the Africa assignment because I needed to clear my head surrounding my personal life, and I've always wanted to go to Africa, but that doesn't mean I want to move and work and write somewhere else".

"I'm not saying it does. I'm saying that I had no choice. You will be an excellent addition to any newspaper staff, I assure you".

"Where am I going?"

"San Francisco Chronicle. You have to be there in 2 weeks".

"Fine. But I'm going to need tomorrow off to work on finding a place".

"You got it".

"And, if I am such an excellent addition, then you should have fought for me to stay".

She got up and walked out and fought the tears the whole way home.

She decided to start looking for an apartment, so she got out her work computer and pulled up the apartment listings.

She found a few possibilities and spur of the moment, decided to call them and see if she could come look at them this weekend.

She made a few appointments, and then called and booked a flight and hotel room. The only flight she could get left in 5 hours, so she quickly packed a bag and changed clothes.

By midnight, she was in San Francisco.

***The next morning***

Jonathan was in his office, on the phone.

"Of course, I don't mind helping out. I will do whatever I can to help. Now, I am going to forward you to my secretary and if you will give her the dates, she will put them on my calendar".

He transferred the call and hung up.

The rest of the day was filled with signing paperwork, and hearing presentations about why he should buy this company or that one.

Around 7, he made it home.

Max had made him some lasagna, and left it on the counter for him.

He cut himself a generous piece, and sat down and ate it while he went through the mail.

He opened a few invitations, and noticed they were all addressed to him plus one.

There was only one person he wanted to be his plus one. But, that door was closed and he was finally starting to realize it might not ever be open again.

He decided to read the paper on the couch while he watched a baseball game. There was one story on the front page he was particularly interested in. As he turned the page to continue it, he noticed an ad for a sailing race. He decided to enter it and called the marina where he kept his boat and asked them to give it a good cleaning and inspection.

He called and entered the race, and then decided to go to bed.

***The next morning***

Jonathan was in his office when the phone rang.

"Hello, this is Jonathan Hart".

"Hi. Are you busy?"

"No, not really."

"Well, I just called because I miss you and I-"

"Jennifer, we agreed to be just friends, right?"

"Yes, but-"

"And this is what's best for both of us, right?"

"Well, it's just that-"

"I don't think we need to confuse the lines between us any further. You have your life, and I have mine."

"Jonathan, I-"

"I have to go now, I have another call. I'll talk to you later".

He hung up without giving her a chance to respond.

Jennifer was so confused.

She stared at the phone a minute and then hung up.

She went and looked at the apartments and easily decided on the last one. It was in a high rise, all the way at the top. It had a nice sized terrace, and a gorgeous view.

They promised her it would be ready in two weeks, for her to move in.

She went to a furniture store and inquired about a few pieces and got some ideas.

Her final stop was to the Chronicle, where she met her new boss and got a feel for the place.

They had a lovely chat, and they promised her a mix of high-profile stories and low-profile stories.

"Work hours are 9-5, or 10-6. Dress is casual but professional, and we give all of our reporters a choice between a car allowance or a living allowance".

"I will take the living allowance".

"Perfect. Take these forms to HR, and then we will see you in two weeks".

An hour later, she was back at her hotel.

She decided to give calling Jonathan one more try.

She called his house first.

"Hello?"

"Max? Hi, it's Jennifer".

"Miss Edwards, so wonderful to talk to you! How are you?"

"I'm great, Max. Listen, is Jonathan home?"

Max turned to look at Jonathan. He was shaking his head no.

"I'm sorry, he's not home yet. Can I take a message?"

"Sure. Tell him I'm in San Francisco for the weekend and I was hoping we could meet in the middle. I'm staying at the Westin, and my room number is 874-6980".

"I'll give him the message, Miss Edwards".

"Thanks Max".

They hung up and Jennifer went to take a bubble bath, while Max went to take the message to Jonathan.

"She's staying in San Francisco this weekend, wants to meet you in the middle. Call the lady".

He headed upstairs to his bedroom, and then decided to do something else instead.

About a half hour later, he yelled bye to Max as he headed out the door.

Jennifer had just gotten out of the bath and ordered room service when there was a knock at the door.

She went and opened it, and without looking, turned to get her wallet.

"Hang on, let me get you some cash".

"You don't owe me anything".

She turned back around, a surprised look on her face.

"Jonathan!"

"May I come in?"

"Absolutely, I'm sorry".

She closed the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, when Max gave me your message, I decided to fly up."

"I'm so glad you did".

She had a nice room, with a king-size bed and full sofa with a chaise lounge and flat screen tv.

"Make yourself comfortable, I'm going to put on something a little more appropriate".

She disappeared into the bathroom and put on some capri lounging pants and a tank top.

He was sitting on the couch when she came out.

She went and sat by him.

"I just ordered room service. Here's the menu if you want to add something to it".

He glanced at it, and then called and added a cheeseburger and fries.

As soon as he hung up, he turned back to Jennifer.

"Jonathan, I think we need to talk".

"I agree".

"I was trying to tell you something yesterday on the phone, and I think it's important".

"And I have something to tell you too, that's important".

"You go first".

"I have decided that I'm no longer going to pursue you romantically. I'm not going to pursue any woman romantically anymore. I like living the single life and not having to worry about finding someone to spend my life with and make them happy, I'll make myself happy instead".

"I see".

Just then, there was a knock at the door. It was room service.

She tipped the guy and wheeled it in the room.

He pulled the table over to the couch and they sat there and ate.

"Does your decision have anything to do with our argument in Africa?"

"Yes, and no. It's really about how I'm feeling right now."

"I see".

Just then, the phone rang.

She went and got it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, may I please speak to Jonathan Hart?"

"Certainly, one moment".

She held the phone out to him.

"It's for you".

"Thanks".

He got up and took the phone from her and had a short conversation and then hung up.

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah, my pilot had to fly back home because his father had a heart attack. So, he was letting me know he can't fly me home till tomorrow".

"Oh."

"Mind if I bunk here with you?"

"Not at all".

She got up and broke open the mini-bar and got out several drinks.

"Want a cocktail?"

"Sure. What are we celebrating?"

"Nothing".

"My favorite thing to drink to".

She made them a few cocktails and they sat back down and resumed eating.

"So, what was it you were going to tell me?"

"Oh, I can't remember. I guess it'll come to me".

After they were finished eating, he rolled the room service cart out into the hallway and called and ordered them some champagne.

They laid on the bed talking and drinking and laughing.

He told her lots of Navy stories and fraternity stories, and she told him lots of sorority stories and overseas stories.

"If I were to move to Los Angeles, how often would we see each other?"

"Oh, I don't know. 3 or 4 times a week, I suppose".

"And what would we do?"

"Whatever we want to do. We could go hiking, we could play poker, we could go to the beach".

"You said the magic words".

She got up and went to the mini bar and found a deck of cards.

"Let's play poker".

"You're on".

They played poker for points and shots and within an hour, they were both pretty drunk. Sometime around 11 p.m., they both passed out.

***The next morning***

Jennifer woke around 10 and found Jonathan still in bed with her.

She snuggled up to him and tried to go back to sleep.

About an hour later, he started to wake up.

He realized that she was on his chest, so he tried to ease her off of him, but it was no use.

"Jennifer…..Jennifer".

"Hmmm?"

"It's time to wake up".

"5 more minutes".

She started kissing his neck and scratching his chest.

"Jennifer, we can't do this. We are just friends…"

"Fine".

She rolled off him and headed for the shower.

He called and ordered them some breakfast.

She came out of the shower dressed and sat as far away from him as possible.

"What are you doing today?"

"Just normal sightseeing stuff, nothing you would be interested in".

"I see".

She finished her breakfast and took her tray to the room service cart.

She grabbed two aspirin out of her purse and quickly took them with some coffee.

She went and sat back down on the couch again, and started looking at the hotel magazine.

"Well, I think I should go".

"Fine. Thanks for breakfast".

"No problem".

She walked him to the door and gave him a quick hug and then he left.

As soon as the door was closed, she burst into tears.

She thought about it a moment and decided to call and change her flight to the next one out.

That gave her 3 hours to get to the airport, so she decided to go ahead and go.

She checked out and hailed a cab.

As she got in the cab, she decided that the next time she came to California, she was going to pretend that Jonathan Hart didn't exist.

***2 weeks later***

Jonathan was in his office, working on something when he had a memory flash.

Him and Jennifer, on the boat, happy and in love.

He decided to call her and see if she wanted to come out for the weekend.

He looked up the number for the New York Times and dialed it.

"Hello, New York Times. How can I help you?"

"Jennifer Edwards please".

"I'm sorry sir, she no longer works here".

"I see. Do you have any contact information for her?"

"Yes, I have a phone number."

"If it's her home phone number, I already have that".

"I'm sorry, I have no other information".

"Ok, well thank you".

He hung up and dialed her home number.

It rang a few times and then he heard "The number you have reached is no longer in service".

He hung up. He really and truly had no way to speak with her anymore.

He felt the proverbial door slamming shut.

He tried to get his mind off her and get back to work.

***Jennifer***

Jennifer got in the cab and headed for the airport. She was flying to San Francisco today, and moving into her apartment tomorrow. Her furniture had been shipped two days prior, and she was hoping it would be there tomorrow when she moved in.

She boarded the plane and pulled out her book while she was waiting for takeoff.

As soon as the stewardess came by, she ordered a glass of white wine.

She silently toasted to her new life and took a sip.

' _To brighter days ahead'._

***Halfway across the country***

A man and a woman are speaking.

"We don't have the money for this. What are we going to do?"

"Well, I have a plan. We will find the person I have in mind, and we will tell them that they are more involved in this situation than they think, and they will be so happy they will cough up the necessary funds. Piece of cake".

"Are you sure it's going to work?"

"I'm positive. Watch and learn".


	19. Chapter 19

***Three days later***

Jennifer was somewhat settled into her new apartment. She had all of her clothes unpacked and her furniture placed. Her goal was to unpack about 5 boxes a night.

She was up and ready for her first day of work at the Chronicle.

She walked in and found her boss.

"Hi Jennifer, we are so glad you are here. Let me show you to your desk".

She got her things all set up.

"Here is your first assignment folder. I give assignments in threes, and they all have deadlines. Unless there is someone calling and asking about a specific story, I don't manage your time on the stories, you do. So, you can do them in any order you wish. As long as they get turned in by the deadline, I'm happy".

"Wonderful".

"Lunch is no more than an hour and a half, and please tell the receptionist when you leave that you are at lunch. There is no smoking in here, but you are welcome to smoke outside on the patio. If you go to HR, they will give you your official time card".

"Perfect, thank you".

She opened the folder and looked through her assignments.

An interview with a businessman, coverage of a charity dinner, and an interview with the local district attorney.

'Not bad…'.

She headed to HR and got her company laptop and badge and then headed back to her desk.

It didn't take her long to call and set up interviews with the people she needed to interview, which left her plenty of time to start research on them.

She worked steadily till 4, and then began to close it up for the day. Promptly at 5, she headed home.

She loved the fact that she could take the trolley and only walk 2 blocks from her stop to her apartment building. Very convenient.

She changed clothes when she came in and poured herself a glass of wine. After her requisite 5 boxes were unpacked, she made a trash run, and then headed across the street to the grocery store.

She made dinner and did some online shopping, and then headed to bed early.

Opening the window in her bedroom gave her a marvelous breeze. As she drifted off to sleep, she told herself 'I think I just might love living here'.

***Friday***

Jennifer had completed two of her three assigned stories, and the third one was tonight. She was covering the "Taste of San Francisco" Charity Dinner.

She left work at 2 so that she could get ready, and got home at 2:30.

She took a long bubble bath with a glass of wine, and then painstakingly curled her hair to perfection. After her makeup was flawless, she went to her closet to decide on a dress.

She finally decided to go with a slate grey dress that was tight, and hit her leg mid thigh. It was a sleeveless tank dress, which would be perfect with as hot as it was tonight. She paired it with a gold necklace, and her two strap gold Manolo Blahniks. She dug her gold sparkly clutch out, and switched purses.

She decided to wear her hair down, but pulled the top up. She retouched her curls, and then headed out.

She took the trolley to the Grand Bay Event Center, and went inside.

"Hi, I'm here from the San Francisco Chronicle. My name is Jennifer Edwards, I should be on your list".

"Yes, ma'am. Here are your drink tickets, here are your buffet tickets, and here is your program".

"Thank you".

She went and got a drink, and then found a spot at the bar. The place was really filling up fast.

She looked over the program and noticed there was going to be dancing, and a short presentation.

She went and bid on a few things in the silent auction, and then grabbed a plate and sat down.

She took several pages of notes and then decided to enjoy the rest of her evening.

She headed to the bar to get another drink.

"White wine, please".

She went to pull a 5 out of her purse, but before she could hand it to the bartender, she heard a voice say "I'll take care of that".

She turned to find Jonathan standing behind her.

"what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing".

"Thanks for my wine".

"You're most welcome. And you didn't answer my question".

"I work at the Chronicle now, and I live here in San Francisco".

"Since when?"

"Officially, a week. But that's why I came in town 2 weeks ago".

"Well San Francisco is a great city, you'll love it".

'Ladies and Gentlemen-the dance floor is now open'.

"Would you care to dance?"

"Certainly".

She took his hand, and led him to her table, where she set her wine glass down. He set down his scotch, and they headed to the dance floor.

She fit in his arms like a missing puzzle piece.

"You look beautiful tonight".

"Thank you. You cleaned up pretty nice yourself".

She rubbed her hand on his back while they danced, and if he was being honest with himself, he loved it.

"How was your first week at the Chronicle?"

"I'll be honest, I was very hesitant about moving here. I love New York, you know that. But working at the Chronicle so far, has been very pleasant. It's a slower change of pace, which is nice. And I can take the trolley 20 minutes up the street, and then walk two blocks and I'm back at my apartment. Much better commute than in New York".

"Well, that's great".

They finished their dance, and she looked at him.

"Can we step outside for a moment? I need to tell you something".

"Certainly".

Suddenly, a brunette came up.

"Mr. Hart, may I please have a dance with you?"

"Sure. Jennifer, I promise, we'll talk later".

She nodded and headed back to her seat.

She watched him while she sipped her wine. First he danced with the brunette, then he danced with the blonde. By the time they cleared the dance floor, he had danced with at least 10 different women.

She just knew he would be heading towards her table to get his drink, but he didn't.

He gave a small presentation about the Mission Street Orphanage, and she took a few notes.

As soon as the presentations were over, they opened the dance floor again.

She stood up to leave, when he appeared at her table.

"Can we dance once more?"

She nodded.

They went to the dance floor and she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Jonathan, why are you here? This is a long way to go for a buffet dinner".

"I agreed to do a presentation for the orphanage, since I grew up there. And I had a few business deals in town this week, and a few more still to come".

"I see".

She was quiet the rest of their dance, and so was he.

Finally at the end, she found the courage to tell him what she had been holding back.

"Jonathan, I want to say something to you and I need you to really hear me, ok?"

"Ok".

"I know that when you and I saw each other in Kenya, I pushed for a friends only relationship. I did that because I hadn't yet decided if I wanted to stay or come back to the states. And now that I'm back, I've decided that for the near and present future, I'm not going back to Kenya. At least not in that capacity. And 2 weeks ago, when we hung out in my hotel, I realized something. I want to be more than just friends with you. In fact, I am still in love with you. So, whenever you are ready to quit living this single life, you know how to find me. And this time, it'll be me that's waiting for you."

She gave him a quick kiss and then left him on the dance floor and headed out.

She was standing at the curb, waiting on a cab when he caught up to her.

"Jennifer!"

She turned around.

Her heart was in her throat, and she found herself just staring at him.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for the dance. Be careful going home".

He kissed her cheek and then turned and headed back inside, leaving Jennifer heartbroken.

***Two days later***

Jennifer had stayed up for 4 hours after the charity dinner, writing her story. Jonathan's brush off had fueled her and motivated her. She was honest and didn't hold back.

In her opinion, the food was lackluster, the drinks overpriced, and the silent auction items weren't anything to write home about. However, the charity was a good one, even if they did have a millionaire so desperate to stay in the spotlight that he danced with anyone who batted an eye at him. In her opinion, next year's attendees should skip the dinner and just donate to the orphanage instead. She included all of that in her story and turned it in. Her boss signed off on it, and it was printed in Sunday's morning paper.

She was at her desk Monday morning when the phone rang.

"Hello, this is Jennifer Edwards".

"Hi, this is Deanne, Jonathan Hart's secretary. He would like me to ask you for your home address and phone number".

"Certainly. Is he available? I don't mind talking to him".

"No, I'm sorry, he just stepped into a meeting. If you can give me the information, I'll be sure that he gets it".

"No problem. My phone number is 415.308.4862, and my address is 501 Michigan St., apartment 8B, San Francisco 94102".

"Thank you, I'll see that he gets this".

"You're welcome".

She hung up the phone and kept working on her other assignments.

At 5, she walked out the door and headed home, stopping to pick up a salad on the way.

She took a bubble bath when she got home, with a glass of wine. As soon as she got out, she put on her pajamas and unpacked a few more boxes.

Around 8 p.m., there was a knock at her door.

She went to answer it and was surprised to see Jonathan standing on the other side.

"Hi, what are you-"

"Desperate to stay in the spotlight?! Danced with anyone who batted an eye?! What exactly is your problem? If I recall correctly, you danced with me twice, although you failed to mention that in your glowing review. And might I add, nobody forced you to dance with me, and if you had a problem with it, you should have said something".

He walked past her and headed towards the living room.

"Please, come in. I'd love for you to continue yelling at me here inside my home as opposed to outside".

She loudly closed the door.

"What was it that pushed you over the edge and caused you to attack me like this? Was it my nice smile, or my charming demeanor, or maybe my generous spirit? It sure as heck couldn't have been the fact I flew half way around the world to see you and help you out, no that couldn't be it. So, please tell me. What the hell was it?"

"Where would you like to start, Jonathan? You broke my heart at the end of the night, not the other way around".

"Well, I-"

"You had no right to trick me into giving your secretary my phone number and address".

"You had no right to attack my character in your article that way".

"You have no right to come here to my apartment and yell at me THIS way".

"I have every right when you write garbage like this".

"You think my work is garbage?"

"Yeah, I do".

"Fine, then do me a favor. Don't read it anymore. In fact, get out. Get the hell out".

She went and opened the door and held it for him.

He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

"I didn't mean-"

"Out".

He silently walked out the door without another word.

She slammed it behind him and locked it.

She went to the fridge and refilled her wine glass and then unpacked a few more boxes.

After she was done, she decided to call it a night and headed to bed.

***The next day***

Jennifer was working on her next story, which had to do with a local businessman and his off the job entanglements, when she got a delivery of flowers. A dozen pink and white roses with purple heather in a bright blue vase.

She knew before she even looked at the card who they were from.

Jonathan.

"Please call me, it's urgent. 310.582.2991. Jonathan".

She picked up the phone and called him.

"Hello?"

"Hello".

"Hi. Thanks for calling. Listen, I wanted to apologize for calling your work garbage. I was angry and I didn't mean that, and I shouldn't have said that. Your work is most definitely not garbage, and I apologize".

"Thank you. And thank you for the flowers".

"If you are willing, there's somewhere I would like to take you on Friday, if you are available. We would need to leave around 2, and plan to stay several hours".

"You think one date will do it? I'm pretty hurt, Jonathan".

"Just think about it and decide if you are willing".

"I'm willing. Will you tell me where it is?"

"No, I want this to be a surprise."

"I can live with that. How dressed up do I need to be?"

"Great. I will pick you up at your place on Friday at 2. Regular clothes are fine".

"Thank you".

"Bye Jennifer".

"Bye Jonathan".

She gave her roses a good smell or two, and then took them to the lounge for everyone to enjoy.

She put in the request to have Friday afternoon off for an appointment and then headed to lunch.

As mad as she was with Jonathan, she couldn't help but look forward to Friday, and she hoped that he was too.


	20. Chapter 20

***Friday***

Jennifer left the office at lunch, so that she would be home in time for Jonathan to pick her up.

She decided to wear a practical yet comfortable outfit, and put on some light green skinny jeans, a black wrap top that tied on the side, and some black strappy sandals.

She switched purses to a black cross body just in case where they were going was outside.

He knocked on her door precisely at 2.

She opened it.

"Hi, please come in".

He came in and closed the door.

"I know you said you want it to be a surprise. But please tell me-do I need athletic shoes or do I need to pack us a cooler of drinks and snacks?"

"No, and no".

"Ok, then I think I'm ready".

She grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and offered him one.

"No thank you".

He opened the door for them so they could head on.

He held the door open for her as she got in the car and closed it behind her.

He came and slid into the driver's seat.

He drove them down the back roads, and they ended up at a clearing underneath the Golden Gate bridge.

"This is our destination?".

"No, this is our first destination".

"I see".

He got out and got a cooler out of the trunk.

"I picked us up a picnic lunch."

"Thank you".

As they ate, he began to tell her what he had come there to tell her.

"I don't let a lot of people into my private life. I have let only a few people see the real me, and you are one of them. And there's a reason for that. Mainly, it's because I don't do anything for myself. Everything I do is for others, or for a specific reason. And as a general rule, I don't give interviews or talk to reporters in a professional capacity, because when I do that, it always gets misconstrued or twisted into something it's not. I can't handle that, because one way or another, it ends up affecting my business life and not just my personal life. So, when there is an article in the paper that says I'm a ladies' man, or a womanizer, Hart Industries takes a hit too. Believe it or not, some companies have refused to do business with me because of a lie they read in the press. That's why I was so angry with your story, because someone might read that and then not donate to the Orphanage because of what was printed about me".

"I see. Did my article have a negative impact on your business life?"

"Almost. I was able to save the most important deals I had going, but I had to do some extra finagling and explaining".

"Well, that was never my intentions, and I apologize. I was just being honest and reporting on the event like I was assigned to do".

He wanted to argue that he highly doubted that she had been assigned to cover his personal life in a professional capacity, but in the interest of not arguing, he decided to just not say anything.

"Now, this was stop one. Not for any particular reason, other than the fact that it's a gorgeous view and I knew we wouldn't be interrupted. On to stop two".

He drove them to the other side of town, and then finally down a back street. They stopped in front of a large white building. She read the sign. Mission Street Orphanage.

"Jonathan, I don't understand. I plainly and clearly stated that while the party wasn't outstanding, the cause they were raising money for was, and that people should donate to the orphanage even if they didn't attend the party. I totally get that this place is important".

"I know that. I just want you to see why it's so important to me".

He got out and opened her door.

She climbed out and he took her hand and led her inside.

A nun in full habit met them at the door.

"Mr. Hart, what a pleasant surprise".

"Hello Sister Tracy. This is Jennifer Edwards. Jennifer, this is Sister Tracy. I was hoping I could give her a tour".

"Certainly".

Jennifer suddenly began hoping that all the nuns in the orphanage were illiterate.

He gave her the full tour of the place. She saw it all-the peeling paint, the leaking roof, the floor in the sunroom that always floods. She saw how the kids ran to him and hugged him and didn't want to let go. She saw him playing football with the kids and promising them they would end up in the NFL one day.

He took her hand and led her up the stairs into one of the bedrooms.

He pulled a roll of tape out of his pocket and taped off an area of the room on the floor.

"Look at the taped off area, what do you see?"

"I see a bed, and a small dresser, and one trunk".

She turned her head to look at him.

"What do you see?"

"I see what I grew up with. That's all the space I was allowed to have, and whatever I had, it had to fit in that space. Each child here was allowed ten hangers, and what you see in the taped off area."

"That's all?"

"That's it".

He leaned down and placed a second line of tape a little farther out from the first one, all the way around. He then took up the first line of tape.

"Now, because of the fundraisers that my company and others have for this place, each kid gets that much. I have replaced the mattresses, the dressers, and last Christmas, they all got new bed frames. I can't fix it all, but I like to fix what I can".

"That's so wonderful of you".

He leaned down and took the tape up, and then they left.

He gave her a tour of the dining hall, and the kitchen area. They also saw the clothes closet, where the kids who came with nothing had to scrounge for whatever they could find that would fit them.

They were walking back down the hall when Sister Tracy found them again.

"How was your tour?"

"Wonderful. I had the best tour guide there is."

"well, I'm glad to hear it. I hope you understand how important our donors are".

Jennifer felt like she was back in the principal's office in middle school.

"Yes, sister".

"We always need tutors, and people who can come read to the kids, or play with them outside. And we need volunteers for our model behavior class, where the volunteer helps us teach the kids that the way they are acting isn't right".

"We will be heading out now, Sister. Call me if you need something".

"Will do, Mr. Hart."

He took her hand and led her to the car and opened the door for her.

They didn't talk much in the car. Jennifer was torn between whether Jonathan had tried to embarrass her on purpose, or whether he wanted her to understand where he came from.

He drove them back to her apartment and parked in the public lot across the street.

He walked her across the street and they took the elevator upstairs to her apartment.

She let them in the door and put her stuff down.

"I'm going to have a glass of wine, would you like one?"

"No thank you. I can't stay. I just wanted to make sure you got in ok".

"Oh. Well alright".

She walked him back to the door.

"Thanks for a fun afternoon. How long are you in San Francisco this time?"  
"I'm flying home tonight."

"Any chance I can get you to stay one more night and fly home tomorrow?"

"I don't think that's wise".

"Tell me something. What do you want?"

"In what context?"

"You and me. What do you want?"

"Jennifer, it's all so complicated".

"Except that it really isn't. You either want me or you don't. And I'm pretty sure I know which one it is, I just need to hear you say it. So which is it?"

"I told you, for the time being, you and I are friends".

"And I heard that and I understood that. There's just one problem. You aren't treating me as a friend. Friends spend time together, friends talk to each other, friends want to be around each other. Jonathan, look at how you are acting towards me. You can't get away from me fast enough".

"Jennifer-"

"What is it? What is it that is keeping you from admitting your true feelings for me?"

"It's not that simple. It's just…"

"Spit it out, Jonathan. I can handle whatever it is".

"Well, it's a lot of things. It's the article, it's you, it's me…."

"You know what? Never mind. I think we need to go back to our original agreement. I think we will both be happier that way."

"What original agreement?"

"From when we broke up. Space apart."

He hesitated.

"You don't want that".

"I'm going to go take a bubble bath. You can let yourself out".

She turned and headed to the bedroom and closed the door.

He hated to leave her like this, but it was what she asked him to do, so he followed her wishes.

She got out of the bath sometime later and headed straight for bed.

***Monday***

Jennifer was at her desk, working on her latest article when the receptionist brought her a delivery.

She opened the small box to find a card and a glass elephant figurine.

She opened the card.

The front had a gorgeous girl walking through a field of flowers.

She opened the card and began to read what Jonathan had written her.

" _I'm sorry about our conversation the other day-I wasn't able to get my words out right. You have every right to hate me, but I hope you don't. Please call me so we can talk about it. -Jonathan"._

She read it twice.

She picked up the phone and called his office.

"Hello?"

"Hi, I need to leave a message for Jonathan Hart, if I may".

"Certainly".

"Please tell him that Jennifer called and that after our conversation the other day, I don't feel as though we have anything further to discuss, and that I wish him well".

"Certainly. Anything else?"

"No thank you".

"I will see that he gets this message."

"Thank you". She hung up the phone. 

She got back to work on her article and worked through the day.

Just as she was going to leave, she was given her latest assignment folder.

She opened it and read through everything.

"Interview with the local school superintendent, interview with the head of the local hospital on cutbacks, and coverage of a local event-details to come later".

She stuck her folder in her bag and then headed home.

She mentally tried to prepare for the week ahead. If she could just make it to Friday, everything would be ok.

***Thursday***

Jennifer's boss Natalie came and found her around mid-day.

"Hey, I assigned you to cover a local thing this weekend, and I know you elected to cover the car show tomorrow night. However, Seth is unable to cover his event on Saturday, so would it possible for you guys to switch? His event is Saturday at 11".

"Sure, I can do that".

"Thanks, Jennifer. I'll have him bring over whatever he has already prepared for the event".

About an hour later, Seth came by her desk.

"Thanks for switching. My event is a race. I signed up to be a helper, so that I could get a first-person account of what happened. So, if you want to do it that way, then show up at this address at 9, and they will instruct you further. Here is the sheet from the registration, and here is the badge I was given."

"What is this placard with a number on it?"

"Oh. You get a number when you register, and then they will match your number as the helper with the number of the boat you are assigned to".

"Oh ok. Great".

"Thanks again".

"Sure".

She looked through the papers he had given her.

"San Francisco Annual Boat Race. Should be interesting".


	21. Chapter 21

***Jonathan***

Jonathan had just gotten home. Max was just headed out.

"Hi Mr. H., I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in".

"That's ok, Max".

"Got big plans this evening? I'm headed to a poker game if you want to tag along".

"No thanks. I think I'm just going to stay home and try to figure some things out. Good luck, Max".

He started up the stairs.

"Have a nice evening, Mr. H."

"You too, Max".

' _Women. Always giving him fits'._

Jonathan took a long hot shower, and didn't feel any better than when he had gotten in the shower. That clued him in that this was a mental problem, and not a physical one.

He threw on some sweatpants and a t-shirt, and headed downstairs.

He grabbed a legal pad and a pen, and began to make a timeline.

After his timeline was made, he studied it over and over and over again. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't figure out where he had gone wrong in pursuing Jennifer. He gave her space when she wanted it. But it just seemed like they couldn't get together on the same page no matter what he did.

He finally determined that no matter how long it took, he would make the most of this no contact time period, and come out a better person on the other side.

He knew he could send her flowers or jewelry or something she really wanted, but he didn't want to do it that way. He wanted to do it the right way.

He had promised her dad that he would never hurt her again, and he was determined to keep his promise.

***Jennifer***

It had been a few days since Jennifer had seen or talked to Jonathan. She was determined to not wallow in her sadness this time, like she did last time. She was also determined to learn from this. This was the last time she told someone how she felt about them. She was never going to let a man hurt her like this again.

She was scheduled to interview Brad Klasko today. He was a local San Francisco businessman. The more she researched about him, the less she liked. He didn't have the best reputation among his employees.

Her goal was to get through this interview, and then get home and go to bed early, so she could be up early for the boat race tomorrow.

She pulled up to his business office and went inside.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Hi, I have an interview scheduled with Brad Klasko".

"I'm sorry, he's not in the office."

"Oh, well we had an appointment. Do you know when he will be back?"

"He might be back tomorrow, but then again, he might not".

"So, how can I guarantee that he will respect our appointment and keep it?"

"You can't".

"I see. Well, how soon can it be rescheduled?"

"I have Monday at 10".

"Perfect, I'll take it".

The receptionist wrote it down on a card and handed it to her, and Jennifer headed home.

She picked up a salad and headed back to her apartment.

One very long bubble bath later, she was ready for bed and the boat race the next day.

***Saturday***

Jennifer got to the marina by 8:30. She checked in, and explained that she needed to change the name on her paperwork.

"Ok, you're all set. Head down the walkway and find your boat, and have a good race."

"Thank you".

She found the boat with ease and went aboard.

She put her bag with towels and a change of clothes down, and put the cooler she had packed with drinks and snacks down next to it.

She started applying sunscreen.

She heard his footsteps before she heard his voice.

She turned around to see who it was, and found herself staring at Jonathan.

"What are you doing here?"

"I am covering this event for the Chronicle, and I was assigned to this boat. What are you doing here?"

"This is my boat".

"Oh. Well, this isn't going to work. I'll go see if they can reassign me".

She quickly gathered her things and headed back to the registration table.

"Hi, I need to be reassigned. Is there another boat that needs a helper?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am. We closed the window for reassignments last night at 8".

"But that's not fair. We didn't know who we were with till this morning, so how would we know that we needed to be reassigned?"

"I'm sorry, I cannot help you. You can either go through with it, or you can back out with no refund".

Jennifer walked back to his boat and put her stuff down again.

"They wouldn't reassign me so I guess you and I are just going to have to make the best of it".

"Ok. So, we need to get the sails in the right position. If you do one, I'll do the other".

"Fine".

She did as he told her, and they were ready with about 10 minutes to spare.

She took her bag downstairs to one of the rooms so it wouldn't get wet. She locked the cooler into the cooler bay, and then finished reapplying her sunscreen.

"Do you want some?"

"Please".

She rubbed a generous layer of sunscreen on his back and shoulders and then handed him the bottle so he could do the rest.

"Ok, so when the race starts, I will steer, and you can man the sails. The course is marked, so it shouldn't be hard for us to navigate it".

"Ok".

She helped him get the boat out of the slip, and he steered them to the starting line.

As soon as the race started, they took off. She was manning the sails very well, and he quickly steered them into third place.

She caught a quick glance at the course map, and saw they had 5 curves to make before they were back at the finish line, just south of the start line.

They made it around the 1st curve without any issues, and they headed for the second.

They were sitting in 5th place by this point. Jennifer could tell Jonathan was frustrated.

He took them on the second curve, and Jennifer realized there wasn't anyone up ahead of them or behind them.

"Jonathan, I think we are off course".

"I'm taking a short cut, it's ok".

About 20 minutes later, they were the only boat around, and they were out in the middle of the bay.

"Jonathan, I think we are lost".

"We aren't, we aren't".

Just then, a huge breeze came up, and the boat picked up speed. Jennifer was having a hard time controlling the sails.

"Jonathan can you-"

Before she could say the word 'help', the rope to the sail snapped and went flying, and the sail was no longer in her control. It was also unable to be controlled.

Jonathan turned around to check on her, but then he heard a cracking noise.

Something happened to the steering, and he was no longer able to steer the boat.

"Damnit!"

They had no choice but to drop anchor and hope the boat stopped drifting.

Jennifer went and sat on the bench.

He saw her sitting there after he dropped the anchor.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm sitting, what does it look like I'm doing?"

"You are supposed to man the sail".

"Look up, Jonathan. Tell me where the rope is".

He looked up and saw the rope wrapped around the pole.

"What did you do to it?"

"Excuse me? What makes you think I did anything to it?"

"You were manning the sail, right? So, you were manning the sail, and I was at the wheel, and there's only you and me on board. So, if I didn't do it, it had to be you".

"I see. So, what did you do to the steering wheel?"

"What do you mean, what did I do? It stopped".

"I see. Well, I didn't do it, and you were manning the steering wheel, right? So if it wasn't me, it had to be you".

"That's completely different and you know it".

"No, actually it isn't".

"Yes, actually it is. I was simply holding on to the wheel, when it stopped working. What were you doing with the rope?"

"I was eating it for breakfast. I thought it would make a good protein".

"Jennifer, I'm serious".

"So am I. Don't ask me dumb questions".

She got up and headed downstairs.

"Where are you going?"

"As far away from you as I can possibly get".

She went downstairs and sat for a moment, trying to calm down.

She took her hair down and brushed it and was putting it back up when he came downstairs.

"Ok look. I apologize. I shouldn't have taken this out on you and I'm sorry."

"You should be".

"I am, believe me".

She looked at him for a moment.

"Thank you".

She moved past him and went back upstairs and decided to get some sun.

She had chosen a pastel green bandeau bikini. She took her coverup off and laid out on the end of the boat.

' _God, she is so gorgeous'._

He opened the cabinet under the steering wheel, to use the radio to call the coast guard.

"Mayday, Mayday! This is the Dealbreaker, license number 479654. We are stuck in the middle of San Francisco Bay, without sails or steering. Over".

Nothing. After a few more tries, he realized the battery to the radio was dead.

"Well, that's just great".

"What is?"

"The battery to the radio is dead. We can't call for help".

"So, what are we going to do?"

"Well, we have no choice but to wait till it gets dark and send up some flares".

"I see".

He came and sat by her for a little bit and then got up and went downstairs.

About 10 minutes later, he came back with a box.

"What's that?"

"It's an emergency kit that I forgot I had put down below".

"What's in it?"

He opened it and started pulling items out.

"A battery operated radio. A book, and an inflatable pillow".

"Some emergency kit".

"Oh, you think you could do better? By all means, you go right ahead".

"I didn't say that".

"Yeah, well you say a lot of things without saying them".

She leaned up on her elbows.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You know damn well what it means. You didn't just happen to end up with me as your partner in the boat race, you arranged it."

"That is not true!"

"Yes, it is".

"Jonathan, I'm the one who went to go get reassigned, remember? If I had engineered this, why would I voluntarily take myself out of it?"

"To save face".

"That's ridiculous!"

"Oh? And I suppose you are going to tell me that you didn't mean to ruin my reputation by what you printed in that article either, huh?"

"That's right, I didn't. And while we are speaking of embarrassing, you had no right to make me think we were headed on a date last weekend when you took me to the orphanage. That was wrong and humiliating".

"Well you deserved it after you printed a bunch of lies in the paper".

"Jonathan, I didn't print a bunch of lies. I printed what I saw and what I felt. And, I don't know what I ever saw in you. For someone who used to tell me all the time that you loved me, you sure don't know how to treat a lady like she deserves. I swear to god, as soon as we get off this boat, I'm never speaking to you ever again, and you only have yourself to blame".

"Me to blame? You are the one who put an entire ocean between us, Jennifer. Not me. You make it impossible to be in a relationship with you, and then you get mad when the relationship doesn't work out".

"Well, fine. Let's just call a spade a spade, shall we? You and I will never ever be in a relationship together again ever. We won't grow old together, we won't get married or have kids together, and we certainly will never love each other, ever again. You have made that quite clear".

She got up and headed downstairs.

She tried to take a shower, but no water came out of the showerhead. She tried the sink in the bathroom, but no water came out of there either.

She came out of the bathroom and dried her eyes on one of the towels in her bag. She opened one of the windows in the bedroom and the one in the bathroom, hoping to get a breeze going.

He came downstairs a few minutes later.

"Can we talk?"

She turned away from him and shook her head.

"Please?"

She shrugged her shoulders and finished wiping her tears.

"I'm sorry I made you cry, that wasn't my intention. But I do think we need to talk to get some things figured out".

"You don't want to be with me, what else is there to figure out?"

"I never said I didn't want to be with you, I said not right now".

"But why not right now? I'm in the states, Jonathan. I'm here. And until you started treating me like shit, I was willing. You said you loved me".

"I do".

"Love isn't supposed to hurt like this, Jonathan."

"I know that, but I'm scared. We don't have the best track record together, and we have both hurt each other, and somehow, the cycle has to stop".

"So you think the way to stop the cycle of us hurting each other is to treat me like shit? Gee, thanks".

"No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm frustrated, Jennifer. I want to be with you so bad, but I'm scared that we will hurt each other again. And I made a promise to your father that I would never hurt you again as long as I lived, and I intend to keep that".

"Well, we have a problem then, because I don't see how we can move forward. I mean, I practically threw myself at you twice, and you turned me down both times. You'll forgive me if I skip a repeat".

He sighed.

He walked forward and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Did it ever occur to you that I resisted you because I knew that if I didn't, I wouldn't have been able to stop myself?"

"What's so wrong with that? If I recall, we are both consenting adults".

"See, my words aren't coming out right again."

"Try again".

"I want you and I to be together when it's right, Jennifer. I would never take advantage of a woman when she's drunk, or emotional, or a 100 other reasons. And you and I had been drinking and I didn't want to take advantage of you, that's all".

"You and I have been together after we were drinking before, Jonathan, and you didn't have a problem with it then. And what about blowing me off on the curb in front of the party? I told you I was still in love with you, and to call me when you were ready, and you chase me down outside the party and get my hopes up and tell me to be safe? What the hell, Jonathan?"

"That was my pride, getting in the way. I should have called you the next day, but I was scared, so I didn't".

"I see".

"Look, why don't we start over? The past is the past, and we can just forget the past and focus on the future and see what happens. If it works out, great, if it doesn't, then we gave it a shot".

"Call me crazy, but Jonathan-is this how you really feel or is this because we are stranded on this boat together?"

"You want to know how I really feel?"

"Yes, and no tricks this time".

"You got it".

He stepped forward and grabbed her face and kissed her with so much passion and emotion, she felt like she was floating.


	22. Chapter 22

They both let the kiss go on longer than it should have, and they both felt this electricity between them.

He held her head in his hands, and let his fingers work their way through his hair as he kissed her.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him closer to her.

He finally broke the kiss, and she rested her forehead against his.

"I missed you so much".

"I missed you too, but Jonathan, I'm serious. I am not doing this unless we come to a clear understanding".

They sat on the bed and he took her hands in hers.

"What understanding?"

"This cat and mouse game that we seem to keep playing, it has to stop. This isn't going to work unless we are both 100% committed."

"I completely agree."

"100% honesty, and that is non-negotiable".

"I'm fine with that".

"This can't be all me, Jonathan. You have to do some boundaries too".

"Communicate. I want us to communicate better so we can stop having these little fights".

"Same here. And I promise I'm going to try and not be so emotional".

"I love your emotions, when I'm not the one causing the sad ones".

"So, how is this going to work? You live in LA, and I live in San Francisco, at least for the next several months".

"Well, this will be easier to navigate than New York every other weekend. San Francisco is only a 50 minute flight. I can fly to you, you can fly to me, we can drive and meet in the middle. This is definitely more manageable than across the country".

She nodded.

"I'm sorry my article portrayed you in such a negative light. That wasn't fair of me".

"And I'm sorry I said your work was garbage, that wasn't fair of me. And I wanted to tell you where we were going, but it would have ruined the surprise, because I wanted you to really see the orphanage from the orphan's point of view. That's all. I would never purposely try and humiliate you or embarrass you".

"I know that. I just felt so foolish. I felt like the nuns were looking at me as if I had broken all the cardinal sins".

"I hated leaving your apartment. I didn't want to leave, at all. But I was trying to respect your wishes."

"If you had stayed, it wouldn't have been very pleasant".

"We are going to have to work on our tempers".

"I agree. I don't want to spend all my time mad at you".

"And I don't want to spend my time mad with you. That's where communicating comes in".

"So, we need to figure out what we are doing about this boat. And then we need to figure out what we are doing the rest of the time".

"Well, my dumb emergency kit didn't have any emergency supplies. And the radio is dead. So unless someone comes along to help us, we have to wait till dark to do the flares".

She looked at her watch.

"That's got to be at least 6 hours from now".

"About that".

He took her hand and led her upstairs.

"What are we doing?"

"Well, we can enjoy the sun, or we can go swimming, or we can do whatever you want".

"Why don't we try something? Can you put me on your shoulders?"

"For what?"

"I want to see if I can reach the rope, and pull it down, and we can fix the sail".

"No, let's not do that. I paid a company to give the boat a complete overhaul, so I want to take it to them as it is".

"Good point. Why isn't the shower working?"

"What do you mean not working?"

"Well, typically, when one turns on the shower, they expect water to come out of the showerhead. In my case, nothing came out of the showerhead. Same with the sink".

"I see. Well, thank you for telling me".

They had just gotten comfy when they started to feel raindrops.

Jonathan looked up and saw a big storm cloud.

"Here it comes".

He checked the anchor, while she grabbed the cushions from the bench, and they headed downstairs.

He took the cushions from her and put them in the closet.

She went and sat down on the bed.

"Well, I guess we are stuck in here till the storm passes".

"Yeah, I guess so".

She scooted over to the wall and he stretched out beside her and then she snuggled up to his chest.

"Who would have thought that a boat race of all things would have gotten us back together?"

"I didn't even expect to see you this weekend, much less have you on my boat".

"I wasn't planning on ever seeing you again, to be honest. I told myself it was just too hard".

"Well, now, I'm planning on never letting you get away from me again, so change of plans".

"I like that change".

She leaned up and kissed him a few times.

"So, let's pretend I get my boss to let me work from home most of the week, and I can be in Los Angeles more. What part of Los Angeles would you say your neighborhood is?"

"Officially, I'm in Week's Bay. But, I'm thinking about moving."

"Moving? Where to?"

"Nowhere specific, just a different house so that Max can have a room downstairs".

"That's a good idea".

"Yeah, I noticed last week that he was having a little trouble going up and down the stairs".

"So, do you want a house or a condo?"

"I think I want a house, but I'm not positive. I could be just as happy with another condo, if one of the bedrooms was downstairs".

She kissed the side of his neck and then sat up and crawled to her purse.

She got some medicine out of her purse and opened the cooler and got some water.

"I forgot to tell you, I packed some snacks and drinks".

He sat up, all excited and happy.

"You did? I'm starving".

"Yeah, help yourself".

He opened the cooler and found that she had brought a cheese and sausage plate, cheese and crackers, sliced veggies and dip, and chips and salsa, plus water bottles and some lemonade that she had made. Way deep in the bottom, he found a tiny bottle of champagne.

"What made you bring champagne?"

"Well, I figured if the boat I was on won, we could toast to it".

She took the medicine and then got a tube of gel out of her purse.

He had scooted back on the bed and was devouring some of the cheese and sausage plate.

"Darling, did you bring silverware?"

"Yes, I did".

She handed him a pack. She scooted next to him and laid down and started putting the gel on her forehead.

"Here, let me get that for you".

He set his plate down and then turned to her.

"Just the forehead?"

"And the temples. This headache just won't quit".

He rubbed her temples and then her forehead till the gel was all soaked into her skin, and then noticed that she had fallen asleep.

He used a wet wipe on his hands and then finished his plate.

He decided to stretch out beside her. He made the room as dark as possible, and then laid down and wrapped his arms around her.

They napped for about 4 hours and then Jonathan woke up.

He covered her with a blanket and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead and then headed upstairs.

It was almost dark, so he got the kit out with the flares in it.

He came back down and found her sitting up.

"Hey, where did you go?"

"Up on the deck. It's almost time to do the flares."

She nodded.

"Are you ok?"

"I don't feel so well, but I'll be alright".

"Have you eaten today?"

"No".

"Problem solved. Eat something."

She hesitated and then agreed.

She made herself a plate and grabbed some lemonade.

She took it upstairs with him while he tried to find matches or a lighter.

He finally found some matches and got the flares set up to light.

He came over and held his hand out to her and led her to the other side of the boat.

He looked deep into her eyes and gave her a quick kiss.

"I promise you that if we get out of this boat thing, the next fireworks you see will be more glamorous. Now, please do me a favor and stay behind me".

He turned around and lit the flares and watched as they went up perfectly.

She finished her plate and took it downstairs to the trash and came back up.

She was leaning against the railing as he went and lit the second set of flares.

He backed up towards her, and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

After the third one went off, he started to go light another one, but she stopped him.

"Honey, how many more sets do we have?"

"I don't know".

"Well, I don't want to sound negative, because this is kind of relaxing, but we might be here another night. So, maybe we should save the last set".

"That's a good point".

He took her hand and led her to the steering column, where he turned on the SOS lights, and then they headed downstairs.

She started tidying up a little bit and decided to change out of her bathing suit.

She started digging in her bag and pulled out some thin cotton drawstring shorts and a thin spaghetti strap tank top.

She stepped into the bathroom to change, and then came out to find him getting the bed ready.

She grabbed a small bag out of her purse and stepped back into the bathroom and started putting all kinds of creams and lotions and oils on her face and neck and arms.

She came out and climbed onto the bed with him.

"Jonathan, if we get rescued, when are you planning on going back to LA?"

"I had made plans to stay through the weekend, but I guess it all depends".

"And what are we going to do if we don't get rescued?"

He held her close and kissed her forehead.

"We will, I just know it".

She played with his chest hair in the dark for a few moments.

"Jonathan…while we were apart…..and by that I mean before Kenya and after Kenya as well….did you date anyone else?"

"No, I didn't. Did you?"

"No".

She started kissing his chest, working her way over to his nipple.

"Did you….I mean…..were you…with anyone else?"

"No, I wasn't. Were you?"

"No".

"There was someone I was interested in, though".

"There was?"

"Yeah. She was in Kenya when I was there, and she was so sexy, and beautiful, and had legs that went on for days…"

Jennifer was incensed.

"Who was that?!"

"You". He flipped them so she was on her back and started kissing her neck.

She lightly scratched his shoulders as he kissed her.

He ran his hands up and under her tank top, and squeezed her breasts, before he pulled it off over her head.

She reached down and got the bottom of his t-shirt and pulled it off over his head.

He untied the drawstring of her shorts and then tugged them off her.

He quickly stood up and stepped out of his own shorts and boxers, and then climbed back on the bed again.

He used his fingertips to trace her face and let his lips find hers for a very sensual, romantic kiss.

He moved his kisses down to her breasts and sucked her nipples till they stiffened.

"Mmmmm".

Jennifer gripped his shoulders, and ran her heels up and down his calves.

He started kissing her neck again.

"I want you, baby. I need you".

"I need you too".

He quickly joined their bodies together, and then began plunging in and out of her over and over.

They found a mutually pleasing rhythm and held onto each other as they rocked their hips together in the same motion.

"Oh Jonathan…..mmmm…."

She lightly ran her fingernails over his sides, and across his lower back.

"You feel…so…good".

"Jona…..than…."

They both exploded into intimacy at the same time, and clung to each other as the waves of their orgasms coursed through their bodies.

"That was absolutely fantastic".

"It certainly was".

He kissed her several times, and just held her for a few minutes.

"You have no idea how glad I am that we are in a place where we can be together like this again".

"Me too".

They laid there, kissing and cuddling for a few minutes and then they heard it.

"Hello? Anyone on board? We are the Coast Guard".

Jonathan ran to the stairs.

"One minute please".

They quickly dressed and headed upstairs.

He explained to them what happened, and they came aboard and examined the boat.

They asked for both of their ID's, so Jennifer ran downstairs and grabbed her wallet and Jonathan's wallet and came back up.

She tried to stay out of the way and let Jonathan handle it since he was more experienced with boats.

"Sir, ma'am, your boat will have to be towed in. Unfortunately, nobody can tow you in the dark, so it will have to be tomorrow morning".

"Ok. Can you give us a ride back to the marina?"

"I can give one of you a ride. But someone has to stay with the vessel for security and safety purposes till it can be towed".

Jonathan turned to Jennifer.

"You go back, I'll stay here".

"No, no, no. I'm staying with you".

"Do you have bedrooms below?"

"Yes, we do".

"Then you should be fine. We will come back tomorrow with a tow barge, around 10, and tow you back to the marina."

"Thank you".

"Have a good night".

They stayed up on the deck till the coast guard boat was out of sight. Jonathan made sure everything was locked up and batted down, and then they headed back downstairs.

Jennifer kicked off her flip flops and climbed in bed.

Jonathan stripped down to his boxer briefs and joined her in bed.

"I love to fall asleep while the ocean waves are rocking".

"Want to make the boat rock some more?"

"Jonathan!"

"We can do that, you know".

She started giggling.

"You mean you still have energy left?"

"Where you're concerned, I'll always have energy left".

He kissed her a few times, and then made love to her again before they fell asleep.


	23. Chapter 23

***Sunday morning***

Jonathan and Jennifer slept till about 8:30, and then got up. She helped him get everything together, and then they headed upstairs with the cushions, so they could wait for the tow barge.

"So, what is your plan?"

"Well, I paid a lot of money to a boat maintenance company to completely check over everything on the boat, so when we get back to the marina, I'm going to see if the tow company can help me get the boat on a trailer, and then I plan on driving it straight to the company and demanding a thorough walk through and refund".

"That's a good idea".

"What are you planning?"

"I need to call my boss and explain to her what happened and why I can't submit an article about the boat race".

"I'm sure she will understand".

"I hope so".

"Darling, do you think the company did something to make the boat break down, or do you think they just took your money and didn't do anything?"

"I'm not sure. Obviously, if they did something, they didn't do all of what needs to be done".

"And how are you going to prove that?"

"I plan on taking it to someone else and having them fix everything that needs to be fixed and then taking it up with the owner of the first place".

She laced her fingers through his and leaned back and closed her eyes, soaking up the sun.

"As long as you have a plan".

They were quiet for a few moments.

"You know, I think you and I both have received the run-around. We were entered in a boat race. We obviously didn't cross the finish line, so how come nobody came looking for us? And the steering column on a boat shouldn't just snap like that. I'm willing to bet it was intentionally sabotaged. But why, and by whom?"

"Hmm. So maybe instead of me writing an article about the boat race, I can dig a little deeper into the race organization and see if I can find anything on the people who organized it and set it up".

"I'm not suggesting that the organizers of the race tampered with the boat, Jennifer".

"I know that. I'm suggesting that I'll dig into and see if they did or not".

A few minutes later, the tow barge came and towed them back to the marina, which took about 2 hours.

Jonathan paid for the tow, which was extremely expensive, and then he walked Jennifer to her car.

"I'm going to go pay a visit to the marina and see if anyone is there. I'll come by your place after I'm done".

"I plan on taking a long bubble bath, and then calling my boss. I'll leave the door unlocked".

"No, don't do that. That's not safe".

"Ok, I'll put a key under the mat for you. Is that better?"

"Much".

She kissed him goodbye a few times and then headed home.

She called her boss as soon as she walked in.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Jennifer. Listen, we have a slight problem. I am not going to be able to submit an article on the boat race, because the boat I was on broke down and we were stranded off course and had to be rescued by the coast guard. So, I was thinking, I want to submit something a little different. I want to dig into the race itself and see if there is an angle there among the race organizers and go that route".

"Sounds fine to me. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, just a little tired. Thankfully, we weren't injured, but it was a little disconcerting that nobody from the race organizers came to look for us. And I'm a little concerned about how the boat broke down, and so is the owner of the boat".

"Well, I tell you what. Dig into it and see what you can find out, and then we will talk about whether or not we are running the article, ok?"

"Ok, thank you".

She hung up and went and took a long bubble bath.

As soon as she got out, she put on some lounging clothes and then started digging into the race organization.

She got out her packet of information about the race and found the page that listed the partners.

After looking up three members of the race committee, she was less than impressed with what she found.

She went to the website to find out the results of the race.

Just then, Jonathan came in the door.

"Hi, I brought us some lunch".

"Hi, thank you".

She went to him and took the lunch from him and started getting out plates and silverware.

"What did you find out at the marina?"

"The owner wasn't there, so I had them call him and tell him to make an appearance. He showed up about 10 minutes later, and I demanded to see the paperwork on my boat. He made an excuse that it must have gotten misplaced. I think it's bullshit, but I can't prove it just yet. But I did tell him that his marina was supposed to have given my boat a thorough inspection and work over, and they obviously didn't do that. He's supposed to call me tomorrow when the employee who supposedly worked on my boat is there".

They sat down and ate, and then Jennifer started unpacking the cooler, and Jonathan got up to help her.

"Darling, this is still cold."

"I know. I rigged it that way."

"How?"

"See how it's red on the outside and white on the inside? So, I bought the red cooler in college. And I bought the white one in college, about a year later. And then one day, I noticed that the white cooler was falling apart, and I started playing around with it, and realized that it fit perfectly inside the red cooler. So, now when I pack it, I take the white part out, put ice in the bottom of the red, add the white part and then put the food and more ice in the white part. If the ice in the white part melts, that's ok, as long as the ice in the red part doesn't."

"How long does it stay like that?"

"Last count is 32 hours".

"That's a genius idea".

He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her in for a kiss.

"You are so smart".

"Thank you".

He helped her lift the cooler onto the counter so she could drain it, and then after she had rinsed it and dried it off, he took it to her storage closet for her.

"How long are you staying, darling?"

"I have a couple business meetings tomorrow and the next day. If all goes well, I will be the new owner of Frisco Electronics. And then I'm going back to Los Angeles. Do you think you could spend the weekend in Los Angeles?"

"I'll know more when I get to work tomorrow and get my latest assignments. And I think I might ask my boss about working from home, or maybe working in Los Angeles instead".

"That's an idea".

"And as soon as I'm able to, I need to take some time and go visit my father. I'm way overdue for a visit".

She opened the fridge and started making a grocery list.

"Want to go with me to the store?"

"Certainly".

"What do you want for dinner?"

"You next to me".

"How sweet. What do you want on your plate, Jonathan?"

"I'm not hard to please. I'm not a huge fan of cooked vegetables, but some of them are ok".

"I see. What's your absolute favorite food?"

"Lobster, anyway you cook it".

"I can work with that".

"What's your favorite food?"

"Grilled chicken".

"That has lots of possibilities".

They headed to the store and stocked up on groceries. Jonathan insisted on paying, which Jennifer said wasn't necessary.

When they got back, he helped her put away the groceries and then they went to relax on the couch.

She found them a movie to watch and leaned up against him.

"Darling, when you moved in here, did you get renter's insurance?"

"Yes".

"Full coverage, or just liability?"

She got up and went to her filing cabinet and dug out the policy.

"Here is my policy and here is my lease".

"It's not that I don't trust you, I just want to make sure you are protected".

"I know that. I don't know the answer to your question, so let's find it".

He read her policy while she read her lease.

"I am required to have full coverage, in excess of $20,000".

"You definitely have that. You have full coverage in excess of $100,000".

"Great".

"How long is your lease for?"

"6 months. I was hoping to transfer back to New York after my contract with the Chronicle ends".

"Do you still want to transfer to New York?"

"Only if you come with me".

He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

She got up and put the files away and then came back and snuggled up with him again.

They snuggled and watched the movie for a couple hours, and then she got up and made them dinner while he napped on the couch.

After it was ready, she made their plates and then went and laid down with him.

She started kissing his face and neck.

"Darling….darling…..wake up…..dinner's ready".

"Hmmm?"

"Wake up honey, dinner's ready".

He gave her a few kisses and then they sat up and headed to the table.

"You made me lobster?"

"Yeah, you said it was your favorite. This is steamed, and then finished on the grill".

He kissed her forehead and then opened a bottle of wine for them.

After a lovely romantic dinner, he helped her with the dishes.

"Darling, were you planning on staying at your hotel tonight?"

"Do you want me to stay at the hotel tonight?"

"Only if you want to. You can always stay here with me".

"Well, I was planning on staying here, but I don't want to impose".

"You aren't, I promise".

"Want to go with me to get my stuff?"

"Sure".

An hour later, they were walking back through her apartment door.

"Jonathan, I can't let you do that. It's too much money".

"Jennifer, I don't mind buying you something when you need it. All you have to do is ask. And believe me, you are worth every penny".

"And I appreciate it, but I don't need a car, Jonathan. I live within walking distance of just about everywhere and I also live on the trolley line."

"Ok. Maybe I'm just being paranoid. I just want you to be safe, that's all".

"I am. I promise".

They headed to bed shortly after, but try as he might, Jonathan couldn't stop worrying about Jennifer.

***The next morning***

Jennifer woke up when her alarm went off to find Jonathan cooking them breakfast.

"Morning".

"Morning. I made coffee, and breakfast is almost ready".

"Mmm. Thank you". She took a sip from the mug he handed her and then headed to the shower.

"I won't be long, I promise".

She was out and ready in about 20 minutes, and joined him in the kitchen.

"You still have that key that was under the mat?"

"Yeah, I do".

"Keep it. I'll be home around 5".

"Perfect".

They ate and then she cleaned up the kitchen while he took a shower and got dressed.

She started laundry before she left and then kissed him goodbye.

"See you tonight. I love you".

"I love you too. Make yourself at home, I mean that".

She was at the office by 9, and immediately started investigating the race organization again.

She made a few phone calls and got a few funny responses to her questions.

Around 1, she headed to her meeting with Brad Klasko, but he had canceled on her again. She rescheduled once more and told herself that was the final time.

She picked up lunch on her way back to the office.

She went to the supply room and grabbed a few new notebooks and decided to use one to make a running timeline of the whole thing.

After jotting down some notes, she made a list of things to ask Jonathan later.

Something was pegging her as suspicious, but she couldn't put her finger on it quite yet.

She waited to speak to her boss till the end of the day.

"Hey, you got a minute?"

"Sure".

"So, I was wondering if there was any way I could start working from home? My boyfriend lives in Los Angeles, and we are trying to figure out how often I can be there or he can be here. And if I was able to work from home, then I would be able to do it from his house".

"I wish I could let you. But I'm sorry, the board of directors for the Chronicle are completely against it".

"Oh ok. Well thanks anyways".

She clocked out and headed home.

Jonathan was there when she got there.

"Hi beautiful".

"Hi handsome".

She kissed him a few times and then headed to the bedroom.

"Darling, let me take you to dinner tonight. Anywhere you want to go".

"Sure. You pick".

"I will call and make us some reservations".

She changed into a pink v-cut t-shirt dress and some beige wedge sandals.

He had a glass of wine waiting on her, and they decided to sit on the balcony for a little bit.

"Reservations are in an hour, at Circuit".

"Oh yay, I've been wanting to try that place".

"So, I talked to the employee at the Marina today. He insists that he did everything he was supposed to and everything checked out. I just don't understand it. If everything was working fine, then what the hell happened?"

"Maybe one of the other participants tampered with your boat".

"That's what I'm leaning towards, but who? And why?"

"Maybe they considered you a threat."

"Maybe. But they shouldn't have. It's not like I have ever entered this race before. In fact, I haven't entered a sailing race since I was in the Navy".

"Well this is bothering me, and I don't know what it is that is bothering me exactly, but I just have this horrible feeling".

"Did you talk to your boss about working from home?"

"Yes. She said no".

They got up and headed to dinner, and then came back to her apartment.

Instead of doing more investigating when they got home, she decided to put it on hold and focus on spending time with Jonathan.

They were snuggled up on the couch-he was watching baseball, she was reading the latest issue of The New Yorker.

After his game was over, he switched the TV to the news.

Neither one of them were really paying attention-he was focused on her neck, and she was focused on her magazine.

"Breaking news: Frisco Electronics, San Francisco's leading technology company, has just declared bankruptcy, and will be liquidating all of its assets".

"Damnit!"


	24. Chapter 24

"May I use your phone?"

"Absolutely".

Jonathan got up and grabbed the phone and started making some calls.

Jennifer turned the tv off and locked the door.

"Come to bed when you're finished, ok?"

She kissed him a couple times and then headed to the bedroom.

She climbed in bed and fell asleep pretty easily and didn't wake up till 3 when she went to the bathroom.

She came out and found him working at her coffee table.

"Honey, are you coming to bed?"

No answer.

She went and sat next to him.

"Honey….come on".

"No Jennifer, I'm busy. I can't concentrate on anything else right now".

She got up and didn't say a word and headed to the bedroom. She shut the door behind her and got back in bed.

Her alarm went off at 7, and he still hadn't come to bed.

She came out and made coffee, and then took some back to the bedroom without a word to him.

She got ready for work and came out to the living room.

She started moving all his piles of papers looking for her work bag.

"Hey, can you not? I need those".

She found her work bag and then went and poured herself some more coffee, and then grabbed her lunch out of the fridge.

"Bye, I love you".

She blew him a kiss as she walked out the door. He didn't even look up.

***Later that morning***

Jennifer was deep into investigating the boat race. The company that organized it, Nellman Inc. She was having the hardest time figuring out who owned it, who worked there, where the office was located, and how to figure it out.

Around 1, there was a delivery of flowers for her. It was a beautiful bouquet of purple orchids and white gladiolus, with a few yellow roses sprinkled in.

She pulled the card off and opened it.

"I love you-Jonathan".

She smiled at his thoughtfulness and got back to work.

She finally found some information on the company, and managed to get an address. She decided to go pay them a visit.

She gathered her things, and headed out, and took the trolley as far as she could and a cab the rest of the way.

She was wearing black boot cut pants, a bright blue v-neck sleeveless top, and some black pointed stilettos.

The cab driver let her out as close to the door as possible, and she tipped him and then headed to the door of the business.

When she went to knock, the door opened on its own. She tiptoed around and called out a friendly "Hello", in hopes that someone would hear her.

She wandered into an office and found a box of papers.

She started looking through them, and found documents that looked suspicious.

Thinking quickly, she thumbed through them, and realizing that they had several copies of each one, she took a copy of each and shoved them into her work bag.

She glanced around the office. It had a normal office feel to it-desk, phone, old rickety desk chair, dim lighting.

She was just about to tiptoe out when she heard someone come in.

"Hello?"

Suddenly, a man who stood about 6 feet tall came into sight.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Hi. My name is Carol Crenshaw, and I had an appointment here today. And I got here and nobody was here. So, I was looking for a phone to call a cab to come get me, but I don't know the address. Do you know the address?"

"It's 884 Magnolia. But ma'am, if you want a cab, just walk down the street 2 blocks and hail one. They are everywhere".

"Oh, that's a good idea. Thank you".

She started to leave.

"Ma'am, who was your appointment with?"

"He said his name was Johnny…..something or other".

"Now, see that's funny to me. We don't have a Johnny something or other here".

"Well, I could be mistaken on the name".

"Oh, I definitely think you are mistaken. And normally, mistakes are very costly around here. But this time, I'll give you one last chance."

"One last chance to do what?"

He pulled a gun out of his waistband and held it to her temple.

"To get the hell out, and stay out".

She turned and headed for the door and walked quickly to the street. Once she knew she was off that property, she slowed down a little bit, but she didn't truly relax till she was safely in a cab headed back to her place.

She came in and found a note from Jonathan that he had to run out and would be back soon.

She poured herself a glass of wine, and then sank into a hot, luxurious bubble bath.

She was fighting back tears the whole time.

The phone rang and she reached over and answered it.

"Hello?"  
"Hey baby, I'm on my way back to your place. I thought I'd pick up dinner-want anything special?"

"Surprise me".

"I'll be home soon, I love you".

"I love you too".

She hoped like hell that he didn't hear her voice crack when she told him she loved him.

She was out of the bath and in her pajamas and robe when he came through the door.

"Hi".

She halfway ran to him and hugged him tight.

"Hi".

He set their dinner down, and wrapped his arms around her.

"Darling, what is it?"

"Something scared me today, but I'm fine, that's all".

He leaned back against the counter and just held her.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Well, I was investigating the race company and I managed to find an address and took a cab there, and nobody was there, so I started looking around and then this guy was there. Like out of nowhere, he just appeared. And I told him I had an appointment and was trying to call a cab and he started asking me questions and then-"

"Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "He just scared me".

"How?"

"He pulled a gun out and put it to my head and told me I had one last chance to get out alive".

"Jennifer! You could have been killed! You shouldn't have gone there alone. No more investigating without me".

"Jonathan, I am not going to call you every time I need to investigate something."

"Well you should".

"I'm a professional journalist, Jonathan. How is that going to look if I show up with my boyfriend each time I have to look into something?"

"Think about how it will look if you get hurt or killed".

"Putting me in a box isn't going to end well, Jonathan. For you, or for the box".

She eased out of his arms and started getting plates and silverware for them.

"Jennifer, listen to what I'm saying. You went to work today, intending to come home tonight, and instead of working and then coming home, you worked and then had a gun put to your head, and then came home, and luckily you are alive."

Before she could say anything, he walked forward and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.

"I don't even want to think about what could have happened".

"I can't stop thinking about what did".

She put the plates down and turned around and hugged him.

He could feel her start to cry.

"Honey, I was so scared".

He hugged her and held her.

"I know. And I'm scared too. That's why I want to protect you, Jennifer. You mean everything to me. I love you so much, I don't want anything to happen to you".

"I…love…..you….too".

"Promise me that you will take someone with you from your office next time? Or that you will call me and tell me you are going there and give me an address?"

She nodded.

"Do you feel like eating?"

"Yeah. Do you?"

"Yeah, if you do".

They decided to eat on the terrace since it was so nice out.

After they finished, they cleaned up the kitchen together and then Jennifer headed to the bedroom and started washing her face.

She was putting on a layer of coconut oil when he came into the bedroom and changed into his pajamas.

She climbed into bed next to him and snuggled up to him.

"Honey, did you fix your deal?"

"No, I wasn't able to."

"I'm sorry".

"It's alright. I didn't lose any money, but the board won't be happy that we have spent 4 months working on this for nothing".

She was quiet for a few minutes.

"Do you have to go home tomorrow?"

"Yeah, unfortunately. But what if you fly to LA Friday afternoon and stay the weekend?"

She nodded.

"What do you want to do this weekend?"

"Hmmm. Well, we could do a little of this…."

He leaned down and kissed her sweetly and very, very slowly.

"I'm on board".

"And we could do a little of this…."

He rolled on top of her and started kissing her neck.

"I like that too".

They spent the next several hours making hot, sensual, passionate, steamy love to each other before they finally collapsed into each other's arms and fell asleep.

***The next morning***

Jennifer eased out of Jonathan's arms when her alarm went off, and headed to take a shower.

When she was dressed and ready for work, she found Jonathan in the kitchen making them breakfast.

"Morning darling".

"Morning".

"What time is your flight?"

"Right after I take you to dinner tonight".

"Yes, please".

She poured herself a cup of coffee and packed her lunch while he finished their eggs.

After a short breakfast together, she quickly did the dishes and then kissed him goodbye.

She was home by 5, and was surprised to find Jonathan was still out.

She quickly got ready for dinner, and put on a black spaghetti strap dress with a red floral pattern, and some black heels.

Jonathan came in at 6, and picked her up and spun her around and kissed her.

"I missed you today".

"I missed you too".

After a few sweet kisses, they headed to dinner. He took her to Pot of Gold, a new fondue place that was incredibly romantic.

They took the trolley home and held hands the entire way.

As soon as they came inside, he called Jack and asked him if they could fly back in 4 hours.

Jennifer changed into a nightgown and robe, and came and sat by him on the couch.

"Honey, do you know of a businessman named Brad Klasko?"

"I've heard of him, but I've never met him. Why?"

"I'm supposed to interview him for the paper, but he keeps canceling all my appointments".

"Does he give you a reason?"

"Nope. I even asked his secretary how I could ensure that he was going to keep the appointment and she told me that I couldn't."

"I've never done business with him, but I'll see if I can get him to meet with me and then you can tag along".

She wrapped her arms around him.

"So you are flying home today, and in two days I'm flying to you".

"And we are going to have the most romantic weekend".

"It's going to be hard to sleep without you tonight".

"I know. I've grown rather fond of sleeping next to you myself".

"Do you have to go home?"

"Unfortunately. There are some really important meetings that I must hold".

"We only have 3 hours left, any ideas on how to spend it?"

He leaned forward and caressed her lips with his in a most intimate kiss.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her back and pulled her closer to him.

She swung her legs across his lap, and leaned into his shoulder as she kissed him.

He scooped her up and stood up off the couch, and carried her to the bedroom, never once breaking their kiss.

"Honey, you're going to hurt yourself".

"Well, then you'll just have to take care of me, won't you?"

"There's nothing I would enjoy more".

He set her down next to the bed.

She grabbed her alarm clock and set her alarm for 2 and a half hours, and then returned her focus to Jonathan.

She kissed his neck a few times as he untucked his shirt.

She started unbuttoning his shirt and peppered his chest with kisses.

He reached down and untied her robe and pushed it off her shoulders.

He laid her back on the bed and quickly climbed on top of her.

He kissed her neck as he moved her spaghetti straps off her shoulders.

He moved his kisses down to her breasts, as she ran her fingers through his hair.

He laid back and pulled her on top of him. She straddled his lap, and pulled her nightgown off over her head.

She leaned forward and kissed him, as he rolled them so that she was on her back.

He kissed her passionately and ran his hands up and down her back.

"You are so beautiful".

She grabbed his face and kissed him.

He reached down and tugged her panties off her, one leg at a time.

She reached down and unbuckled his pants, and then he took over and did the rest.

He pulled the covers over them as he kissed her again.

He loved the feel of her hands running up and down his back.

He kissed his way to her belly button and then back up to her lips.

He was nuzzling her neck and driving her absolutely bananas.

"Oh mmmmmm".

"Talk to me".

"I want you, Jonathan".

He kissed her as he plunged himself inside of her, over and over again.

"Jona…..than…"

"Ba…..by….."

They exploded into intimacy together and then held each other as they came down from the high.

"I hate that you have to go".

"I know, I do too. But it's only for a couple days".

"Well, I for one hope they go by extremely fast".

They spent the remainder of the time kissing and cuddling and chatting about various things until her alarm went off.

"Want me to ride with you to the airport?"

"No, it's late and that would mean you would have to come back by yourself. You should just stay here where it's safe".

She nodded.

"I'll call you when I get home, I promise".

She got dressed and walked him to the door and gave him several hugs and kisses.

"I love you".

"I love you too. In fact, I love you love you".

She grinned at him.

"I love you love you too".

One more incredibly long kiss later, and then he was out the door and on his way to the airport, while she was on her way back to bed.


	25. Chapter 25

***Friday***

Jennifer and Jonathan had talked on the phone several times since he left, and she was missing him like crazy.

She was supposed to meet with Brad Klasko Friday at 11, but he rescheduled again.

So, she decided to do something impulsive. She changed her ticket to Los Angeles to the very next flight and headed to the airport.

She rented a car and headed to Hart Industries.

She took the elevator up to his floor and started to walk towards his office.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Hi. I'm Jennifer. I was hoping to surprise him, is he in?"  
"Certainly. Just let me tell him you are here".

"No-please. Let me just surprise him".

Deanne nodded.

Jennifer opened the door, and found him on the phone, facing the window.

"I agree we need to meet. But meeting this weekend is out of the question. It's simply going to have to wait till Monday…Ok, I'll talk to you then".

He turned around, hung up the phone, and looked up to see her standing there.

"Darling! What are you doing here?"

"Surprise".

"It absolutely is".

He got up and came to her and kissed her.

"I got done with work early, so I changed my flight and headed straight to you".

"How did your meeting with Brad Klasko go?"

"Rescheduled."

"I see. Well, that's a shame. I spoke with him on the phone yesterday and explained to him that this meeting was very important to you and he promised to keep it".

"It's ok. If he had, I wouldn't be here now".

She hugged and kissed him again.

"How much longer do you think you'll be stuck here?"

"Till 4. I had cleared everything after that so I could pick you up at the airport".

"Wonderful".

"I tell you what, why don't you head to the house, and get settled, and before you know it, I'll be home with you, and we can do whatever you want?"

She nodded.

Just then, Deanne knocked on the door.

"I'm sorry sir, he wouldn't wait."

"That's ok, Deanne. Come on in".

A big, burly man with dark hair and a curly mustache came in.

"Jonathan Hart?"

"Yes, I'm Jonathan Hart".

"You've been served".

He put an envelope in his hand and walked out.

Jonathan opened the envelope and read over the papers.

"Darling, I need to go see my lawyer about this. I'll see you at home, ok? I love you".

"I love you too".

"Let me walk you out".

He walked her to the elevator, and then to her rental car.

He wrote down the address, and gave her basic instructions, and then kissed her goodbye.

As soon as he was back inside, he headed straight to his lawyer's office.

Jennifer headed straight to Jonathan and Max's house, and parked.

Max came outside and met her.

She ran to him and hugged him.

"It's wonderful to see you, Miss Edwards".

"It's wonderful to see you too, Max".

"Mr. H. told me you were coming in at dinner time".

"I was. But I was able to get away earlier, so I did".

He took her bags upstairs for her and let her get settled.

"I'll be down in a little while, Max".

"Holler if you need me".

She decided to take a shower and change clothes while she waited for Jonathan.

She put on some distressed jean capris, and an old Beatles t-shirt, and came downstairs.

She sat on his couch and propped her feet up on the coffee table and painted her toenails while she waited for him to get home.

"Miss Edwards, can I get you anything?"

"No thanks, Max."

Right at 5 p.m., Jonathan came home.

Jennifer was standing in front of a box fan Max had set up for her, drying her toenails.

"Hi gorgeous".

"Hi handsome".

She kissed him a few times, and awkwardly turned to hug him.

"What are you doing?"

"Drying my toenails".

"I see".

"How about a cocktail?"

"I would love one".

He made her a Malibu and pineapple, and made himself a bourbon and branch.

"How about we go sit on the patio?"

"Sure".

She gently slipped her flip flops on, and walked out there with him.

They sat on his porch swing, and he wrapped his arm around her.

"Darling, I have to tell you something, and I don't want you to get upset".

"Go ahead".

"The papers that I was served with today, well, I'm being sued".

"I see".

"I took them to my lawyer, and he says that if what I'm saying is true, and it is, then we will probably win. But it's one of those things where it's going to get bad before it gets better".

"Why are you being sued?"

He reached over and took her hand in his. He looked away from her, off into the distance.

"Kristin. She's pregnant and she insists that I'm the father".

"You told me you always used protection when you were with her".

"I did. And I told my lawyer that. He asked me if I recalled a time when the condom broke."

"And?"

"And I answered him honestly. I don't recall it, but there's always the possibility that it happened and I didn't realize it".

"How far along is she?"

"The lawsuit says she's 6 months, so that would mean she conceived that last weekend we were together in Chicago".

"I see".

Jennifer was quiet for a moment.

"So, what now?"

"I told my lawyer to contact her lawyer and arrange a meeting. If this is my child, I want to support it, and I want visitation rights."

She nodded.

"I'm sorry, darling. I know this isn't ideal. But if this is my child-"

"I completely understand, Jonathan. It's not ideal, not in the least, but we can spend time with your child and not spend time with her. It will all work out".

He kissed the back of her hand.

"When is the meeting?"

"Her lawyer is supposed to call my lawyer and set it up".

"Want me to go with you to the meeting?"

"That may not be a bad idea. It might be best if we get things out in the open and she knows from the beginning that you will be around when our child is here".

"Whatever you think is best".

"You know, you are the most wonderful person on the face of the earth".

"Why, thank you".

"The whole way home, I just knew you were going to be upset and we were going to have a fight and it was going to put a damper on our weekend".

"Jonathan, I'm not in love with the idea of you being tied to her forever. But it is what it is, and one thing it isn't, is your fault. Well, not entirely. And another thing it certainly isn't, is your child's fault."

"I should have been more careful".

"Jonathan, you were involved with her before you knew me. You swore to me that you used protection each and every single time you were with her. It's not your fault she wasn't on birth control, and it's not your fault that the condom broke, if that's what happened. I guess we will really never know what happened. What I'm saying is, what matters is how you handle it now. And paying child support and being a father to your child is what's important".

Just then, Max came and opened the back door.

"Mr. H., phone call for you. It's Chad Barker".

"Thanks Max".

He led Jennifer inside, and she helped Max set the table while he took the phone call.

A few minutes later, he hung up.

He came over to Jennifer.

"She wants to meet with us tonight, here. She says she's only in town for the night and has to fly out tomorrow. So, she will be here at 8".

She nodded.

"I guess we are going to have to tell her that we are together".

"Better to do it now and get it over with".

They had a nice, but quiet dinner, and then Jennifer insisted on doing the dishes since Max cooked.

Jonathan and Max headed to the living room and he filled him in.

"You mean that witch Kristin is coming back here?"

"Just so that we can discuss things. Probably won't take more than an hour, tops".

"And Miss Edwards is ok with this?"

"She's not happy about it, but she's supportive. She's the best thing that ever happened to me".

"No, Mr. H. She's the best thing that ever happened to us".

Jennifer came in and sat by him and drew her knees up to her chest.

"Mr. H., you want I should put some coffee on?"

"Kristin hates coffee, never drinks it".

"Perfect. I'll make an extra large pot".

He got up and disappeared into the kitchen.

Jennifer smirked and leaned up against Jonathan's shoulder.

"Darling, we need to change our mindset about this. We need to remember, we are adults, and we don't owe her any explanations. She is coming here to talk about your child with her, not your relationship with me. So, we can tell her that we are together but she doesn't need to know the details".

"I agree."

She could tell he was nervous.

"It's going to be all right, Jonathan. If she tries to play hardball, we will too".

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Jonathan got up and got it, and let Kristin in.

"Hi. Come on in".

She walked straight into the living room and headed for the couches.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Jennifer.

"What in the hell are you doing here?"

"Jennifer and I are together, Kristin."

"I see. When did that happen?"

"Recently".

Jennifer went along with that, because technically, it wasn't a lie.

"Ok, well I wrote out what we will need from you. I am based in Chicago, but I am hoping that I can end up based in LA at some point. So, I will need a place to stay out here, and I will need some furniture and things for the baby. And as soon as I know what my job situation here will be, we can discuss childcare. Ideally, if you want to get the kid while I work, since I only work a couple days a week, that would save us from having to put it in daycare".

Max came in and brought the coffee then.

"Coffee for everyone, and sparkling water for Miss Edwards".

"Thanks, Max".

Jennifer poured Jonathan a cup and handed it to him.

"Would you like one, Kristin?"

"No. Coffee is disgusting."

She snapped her fingers at Max.

"Get me a sparkling water, with crushed ice, NOW".

"Get it yourself".

Max headed back to the kitchen.

Kristin turned to Jonathan.

"Are you going to let him talk to me that way?"

"He's an independent person, Kristin. If he doesn't want to get you a water, he's not going to get you one".

"He brought her one".

"Yes, because she is nice and polite to him".

"Whatever. Anyways, let's talk support. I think in order for us to live comfortably, we are going to need from you $100,000 a month".

"Are you crazy?! That's highway robbery!"

"Jonathan, see to your girlfriend, would you? Her muzzle slipped".

Jennifer stood straight up.

"Now hold on one second! You have no right to come in here and start making ludicrous demands of my boyfriend! It is beyond clear you are just exploiting him. There is no way in the world a baby needs $100,000 month to live comfortably. That is ridiculous and you know it. If you want to talk sensibly, we can, but ridiculous demands like that won't be entertained".

"Last time I checked, this wasn't your baby, nor was it your business".

"Kristin, Jennifer is in my life. She will be a part of our child's life too. I refuse to keep them separate. If you are going to address her, you need to do so respectfully".

"Maybe this is best handled through our lawyers. I will make a list of demands and send them to you."

"Great idea. I will look them over and counter with my own list".

"Fine. You will be hearing from my lawyer."

"Fine".

Kristin got up and left, without so much as a word to Jennifer.

Jonathan walked her out, and then came back to find Jennifer sitting on the couch sipping her water.

He came and sat next to her.

"I'm sorry, I never meant for this to happen".

"It's alright."

"I can only imagine what her list of demands is going to be".

"Jonathan, $100,000 a month isn't reasonable. I hope you see that".

"I do. I was thinking more along the lines of $5000 a month, plus covering childcare if we have to go that route."

"That's more like it".

He took his hand in hers.

"I promised you a romantic weekend. I intend to deliver on that. So, why don't we forget about her for the rest of the night and focus on us?"

"Perfect plan".

He built them a fire and she pulled some cushions to the floor and they got comfy.

He sat in front of her and she gave him a long back rub.

"Oh baby, that feels amazing".

She rubbed his shoulders for almost an hour and then gave him a long back scratch.

After she was done, they switched, and she ended up falling asleep on his shoulder.

He held her for a long time, thanking his lucky stars that they had found their way back to each other.


	26. Chapter 26

***Saturday***

Jonathan and Jennifer had stayed up late making love, so they slept in a little bit.

After breakfast, he had Max pull the convertible around, and they went for a long drive up the coast.

They were about an hour from home when the car phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Mr. H., it's me. Kristin is here again. She says she must speak with you now".

"Put her on, Max".

He and Kristin talked and tried to come to an agreement to meet somewhere, but she refused to meet him, so he and Jennifer had to return home.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise".

"It's alright. Hopefully, she won't be at the house too long".

They drove back to the house mostly in silence and pulled up and parked.

She was sitting on the couch.

"Hi".

"Oh, she's still here, I see".

"What is so important that we had to meet again today? I thought you were flying back to Chicago".

"I changed my flight. It leaves tonight".

She handed him a piece of paper.

"These are my demands. You have three days to contact my lawyer".

"Or what?"

Kristin ignored Jennifer's question.

"Kristin, can I ask you some questions?"

"Of course."

"Well, it just occurred to me, you haven't told me anything about the baby. Do you know if it's a girl or a boy?"

"It's a boy".

"Ok. What is your due date?"

"Dec. 19, just before Christmas".

"Do you have a name picked out?"

"Yes. I was thinking Jonathan Charles Hart, Jr. I was thinking we could call him JJ for short".

Jennifer was incensed. The right to name a son Jr. should go to the one he is spending his life with, not an ex.

"Ok, so $100,000 a month is not practical. I am willing to pay $10,000 a month, plus cover childcare and half of your medical expenses to have the child. As far as visitation, I want us to switch off weeks. Sunday at 6 to Sunday at 6. We can alternate holidays."

"That sounds reasonable, except for the fact that I plan to breastfeed and you don't have boobs. Neither does she".

He squeezed Jennifer's hand.

"You can pump. We can feed it to our son in a bottle".

"I want him to exclusively breastfeed".

"Well, that's not going to work unless you plan on keeping me from my child. And in that case, I will take you to court, I will win, and you will have a heavy court cost bill to pay. And you will probably end up with a lower child support amount as well".

"Fine. I will give up breastfeeding if you give up something for me".

"What?"

"I don't think this house is very safe. Too many stairs. I want you to buy another one".

"I was planning on doing that anyways".

"Great. Well, then there's just one thing left to discuss- how soon do you plan on enforcing visitation? I think for the first couple of months, he should stay with me and you can come visit him for a few hours a day, at my home. After that, he can come to you for official visits".

"I think we can play that by ear."

"Wonderful. So, I will have my lawyer put these terms in writing and send you a copy."

She stood up to leave.

"Oh, and one more thing. When the baby is born, and little JJ is here, when it's your visitations with him, I only want it to be you in the house. No girlfriends, no rude butlers who smoke cigars around the baby".

She walked to the door and left without so much as a goodbye.

Jonathan walked over to Jennifer.

"I'm sorry, darling. I think I'm going to put a clause in the contract that states that she has to be polite to you".

"Not have me around the baby? What does she think I'm going to do, smack it around? If anyone's going to get rolled in the dirt, it's going to be her, not the baby!"

"I know. I know. I think it was all for show. And if she intends on enforcing that, then I will enforce the same at her house. No boyfriends, and no babysitters."

"I just cannot believe that the next 18 years are going to be like this".

"We just have to try and make the best of it."

"Max?"

Max came into the living room.

"The Wicked Witch of the East gone, Mr. H.?"

Jennifer smirked.

"Yes, she is. Jennifer and I are going out again. If Kristin calls back, tell her I am unavailable for the rest of the weekend. If she shows up, you are under no obligation to let her in".

"Got it, Mr. H. Have fun, you two".

"Thanks Max".

They went back to the car and tried to salvage the rest of the day.

They headed up the coast to a quaint, casual restaurant that overlooked the ocean.

"This is a place I discovered a few weeks ago, called The Tiger Den. They catered one of our board meetings, and the food was absolutely delicious. So, I came here to check out a few other things on the menu, and I promise you, they have the best draft beer this side of the Pacific Ocean".

"My kind of place".

They walked in and got a table right away.

As they perused the menu, he signaled the waitress and ordered them both a draft beer.

They decided to split a pizza and some boneless wings.

Jonathan got really into a football game that was playing on the bar tv, and Jennifer enjoyed just hanging out with him like a normal girlfriend.

After the game was over, they headed back home. He showed her a few of his favorite places along the way.

"Darling, can we stop by the grocery store?"

"Sure. What do you need?"

"I want to cook you and Max dinner tonight".

"I appreciate it, but Max is going to an all-night poker game tonight, and you and I have reservations for a late dinner at The Loft".

"Oh, well never mind".

He grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"Next time, I promise".

"Is the Loft a dressy place?"

"Suit, but not black tie".

They pulled up and parked, and she went upstairs to get ready while he called his lawyer.

She selected a blue strapless dress with a black lace overlay, and put on some strappy black stilettos.

She got out a bottle of her most favorite perfume-it was light, airy, and had the scent of vanilla and orchids.

He came upstairs just as she was finished putting her perfume on, and was about to do her hair.

It was a tight squeeze, but they made it work.

"What did your lawyer say?"

"Well, he stated that she can't force me to buy a new house, unless she can prove that there is something wrong with this place structurally, electrically, or if it didn't have running water. So, even though I was going to move anyways, I don't have to move before the baby is born. And he said that she can restrict my visits with the kid to a few hours if she's breastfeeding, but that we shouldn't really decide on that till the baby is born, because some babies don't take to breastfeeding. He thought my offer to pay for childcare was very generous, and her demand of ten grand a month in support was outrageous, and that my offer of 5 grand a month was more reasonable. He said that if she is going to restrict my visits to times when you aren't here, that I can restrict her friends visits to times when the kid isn't there, and that any judge who hears that would have to entertain the idea of whether or not you were a danger to the child, as well as factors like how long we had been together, whether or not you and I were together before the baby, or after, things like that."

"I see".

"He also said that if I don't think that I'm the father, that I could push for a DNA test, but it could get ugly, and that the easiest way to do that would be to wait till he's born, and then have it done during one of my visits with him".

"So, do you have a plan?"

"I think I might. I think I'm going to have him contact her lawyer, and we can formally sign whatever contract we can agree on, and then I'm going to tell her that I want to attend the doctor's appointments, and obviously I want to be there when she gives birth. Basically, I'm going to try to make this as amicable a relationship as possible".

"I see".

She finished curling her hair and started on her makeup.

About 20 minutes later, they were ready to walk out the door.

He locked the door and led her to the car.

Before he opened the door for her, he pulled her in for a hug and a long kiss.

"What's that for?"

"You look absolutely beautiful tonight".

"Well, thank you".

"I love you love you".

"I love you love you too".

He drove them to The Loft, and they went inside.

They were ushered to their table, a very intimate corner booth He ordered them some wine, and an appetizer.

Jennifer decided on grilled chicken with a garden salad and lemon pecan dressing, and Jonathan decided on chicken piccata with fresh citrus rice.

Just after they finished eating, the band started to play.

They decided to dance, and ended up dancing for 8 songs in a row. It was obvious to everyone who was watching them that they were two people who were so in love with each other and absolutely nothing would tear them apart.

She rubbed his back while they danced, and he leaned his cheek against hers.

As soon as the band took a break, Jonathan paid the bill and they headed home.

It was almost eleven, and there wasn't a whole lot of traffic so it didn't take them too long to get home.

They came inside and she headed upstairs to his room to change clothes while he locked up the house.

He came upstairs with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

She had changed into a blueish gray nightgown with black lace edges.

Jonathan changed into some black pajama shorts, and they climbed into bed together.

He popped the champagne bottle, and then poured them each a glass.

"Cheers".

"Cheers".

They clinked glasses and then he leaned over and gave her a kiss.

After a few sips of champagne, Jennifer set her glass down on the nightstand.

She snuggled up to Jonathan's chest.

She started playing with his chest hair, and giving him some light kisses.

He set his glass down and reached up and turned out the light.

He rolled on top of her and gave her a long passionate kiss.

"I'm so glad you are here with me".

"No place else I'd rather be".

He kissed her again, and ran his hands up and under her nightgown.

He moved his kisses to her neck, and began to nibble on her earlobe.

"Mmmm".

"It's just us here, we can be as loud as we want to".

"Mmmm, I like that…."

He cupped her breasts and began to pull her nightgown up.

She wrapped her legs around him, and ran her fingers down his taut stomach towards what she wanted.

"Not yet, baby…I want to kiss every single inch of you".

He took both of her arms in his, and pinned them to the bed on either side of her head. He began to give her light kisses up and down her body, feeling her tremble and quiver and yearning to break free of his grasp.

He slowly kissed his way across her chest, only stopping to suck on her nipples. She grabbed his fingers with hers, and they laced their hands together.

"Honey….I'm going crazy….."

"That's the idea…"

He left a trail of kisses down to her belly button and then down each leg.

As he worked his way up her legs, he stopped right in front of her innermost heat, and instead of kissing it, he just blew on it.

"Ooooohhhhh".

He kissed his way back up to her lips and enveloped her lips with his.

He moved his kisses to her neck and assaulted her neck with his lips, sucking and nibbling and driving her absolutely bananas.

"Honey….."

"Not just yet, baby…"

She squeezed her legs around him and drew him closer to her with her feet.

He quickly entered her and began rocking his hips towards hers.

"Oh, Jonathan…mmmmm yes, yes…."

"You like that?"

"Mmmmhmmmm".

"You feel so good…"

"You…do….too…..Jona…..than…"

Jonathan had never heard Jennifer's voice this loud at all. It was a major turn on for him.

"Oh….god….baby".

They went over the edge together, clinging to each other the whole time. He kissed her as they calmed down.

"That was spectacular".

"Yes, it sure was".

They laid there for a little bit, kissing and cuddling, and then all of sudden, Jonathan's stomach let out a very audible growl.

"Worked up an appetite did you?"

"I did. What do you say we go downstairs and raid the refrigerator?"

"Sure. I'll meet you there".

He kissed her and then got up and put his pajama shorts back on and grabbed his robe.

Jennifer headed to the bathroom, and joined him in the kitchen a few minutes later.

She came up behind him and kissed his shoulder blade.

"I found the stuff for a sandwich, and there's also cheese, crackers, sliced fruit and Max got you some yogurt".

"How thoughtful".

They made a tray and carried it back upstairs.

After they were settled into bed, she fed him a piece of cheese and he fed her a strawberry.

She dropped some strawberries into her champagne glass, and then swirled it around a little bit.

"What time is your flight?"

"I haven't bought the ticket yet, but I figured late tomorrow night, since it's only an hour".

"I tell you what, don't buy your ticket. We can fly back on my plane, and I'll fly back Monday night. I want to go talk to the marina about my boat anyways".

"Sounds like the perfect plan".

They finished their snacks, and then she snuggled up to his chest after he turned out the light.

"Hard to imagine that in a few months, we are going to be sharing this room with an infant".

"I know".

"I don't have a clue what to do with a baby".

"Oh, it's not so hard. I can help you".

"There's nobody else I'd rather have by my side".

He kissed her a few times, and then they drifted off to sleep.

***Somewhere in San Francisco***

A shadowy figure walks up to a building, and stealthily jimmies open a locked door, with hardly any trouble. The figure pours a liquid all over the place, spilling it with reckless abandon. After a few seconds, the figure moves back to the door, pulls an old rag from the pocket of their outfit, and puts a match to it. After tossing the lit rag further into the shop, they disappear into the night, as the flames begin to spread out of control, faster than anyone would ever be able to put out.

They drive 10 city blocks and park in a parking lot, out of sight behind a building.

They pick up their cell phone, punch in a number and listen to the rings.

"Hello?"

"It's done. No witnesses, and there won't be any evidence left for anyone to discover what really happened".


	27. Chapter 27

***Sunday***

Jonathan and Jennifer slept late and then he took her for a seafood brunch.

They did some shopping on the way home, and she found several cute outfits.

They came back to the house and she took her packages upstairs.

He came upstairs behind her.

"You feel like doing something adventurous?"

"Sure".

"Put on some shorts and flip flops, and then we'll go".

He changed clothes into a pair of khaki cargo shorts, a green polo, and some brown flip flops. She threw on some distressed jean shorts, a lilac short-sleeved t-shirt, and some tan flip flops.

Max was coming in as they were headed out.

"Hi Max, how were the poker tables?"

"Perfect. I cleared the room".

"Congratulations".

"Where are you two off to?"

"Jonathan's taking me on a surprise adventure".

"Well have fun."

"Get some rest, Max. We'll pick up dinner on the way home".

They got in the car, and he put the top down, and they headed to their surprise destination.

He took her to his favorite spot, a little clearing that overlooked the ocean.

There were stairs that led to a long walkway out to the ocean.

They laced their hands together and walked out there.

It was gorgeous and sunny, and the water was still warm.

They walked along the beach for a couple miles.

"Darling, now that I am having a child with Kristin, does that change anything from your perspective as far as me and you having a child? I mean at some point, not right away".

"Jonathan, I don't know that I can have children. I was diagnosed with endometriosis when I was fresh out of high school, and my doctor back in New York gave me less than a 7% chance of even being able to conceive."

"I see".

"I hope that doesn't change your feelings for me".

"Jennifer, absolutely nothing in the world could ever change the way I feel about you. We didn't start off on the best foot, but in my opinion, what we have is solid, and nothing is going to break that".

"I feel the same way, too. I just hate that I can't give you a child".

"Jennifer, it's not like I'm yearning to have a kid with someone. If that was the case, I would have already had one".

"I promise you, if I am in your life and you have a child with someone else, I will love the child as if he or she were my own. Genetics won't change that".

They stopped walking and stood there as the waves lapped up around their ankles.

"You are the most wonderful woman on the face of the earth".

"You are the most wonderful human being in the whole universe".

He gently kissed her and then they kept walking.

"So, what does your week look like?"

"Well, I figured I would fly back tomorrow night, and then Thursday night late, or Friday around lunch, I can come to you and stay through Monday morning".

"I'd love that".

They happened upon a few guys playing their guitars right by the shore.

Jonathan held his arms out to her, and they danced, right there in the ocean for a few songs.

He tipped the guys and then they headed back to the car.

They picked up Chinese food on the way home and came inside the house.

They could hear Max talking to someone as soon as they came in.

"I done told you, Mr. H. isn't here. If you'll give me your number, I'll have him call you as soon as he comes in".

They walked into the kitchen.

"I'm here, Max".

Max shoved the phone at him.

"The she-devil is on the phone".

He rolled his eyes as he took the phone from Max.

"Hello?"

He and Kristin spoke for a few moments, while Jennifer got the plates and silverware out.

"Fine, bye".

He hung up the phone and came and joined them at the table.

"Everything ok?"

"She wants me to go get a complete blood panel and genetics test done. I told her no, and she got mad and said I would be hearing from her lawyer".

"Why on earth would she want you to have that?"

"I have no idea".

They ate their Chinese food, and they told Max about the beach and the spontaneous jam session they happened to come across.

"That's what I love about LA. You never know what you will find here".

After they were finished with dinner, Jonathan called Jack and asked for a 9 p.m. flight time.

"See you then".

Jennifer went upstairs and packed, and then brought her bags down.

"Honey, I think I may have gone overboard with the shopping. I hope there's room on the plane for all this".

She had a large suitcase, a garment bag, a makeup bag, and about 10 large shopping bags.

"I own the plane, and I'm only taking a small bag, so I'm sure we will be fine".

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

"I'm so glad I get to fall asleep in your arms tonight".

"Me too".

She ran back upstairs and stripped the bed and brought the sheets and pillowcases down and took them to the laundry room.

"Oh, Miss Edwards, you don't have to do that. I'll get it".

"That's alright Max, I don't mind helping out".

They played a few hands of gin with Max, and then it was time to leave.

"I'll see you in a week or so, Max. Thanks for taking care of us".

She leaned forward and hugged him and kissed his cheek.

"Always a pleasure to have you here, Miss Edwards".

"I'll be back late tomorrow night, Max".

"Have a nice trip, Mr. H."

They walked outside.

"Darling, let's go in the rental car, so we can return it".

"Great idea".

She handed him the keys and he got them to the airport in about 25 minutes.

They dropped off their luggage and then drove around and returned the rental car.

They took a shuttle back to the plane and boarded.

She kicked her shoes off and settled up against him.

An hour later, they were headed to her apartment.

He carried her heavy bags inside, and she carried the shopping bags.

She spent about 30 minutes hanging up her new clothes and taking the tags off.

She started laundry and then got ready for bed.

She set the alarm and he turned out the light, and they snuggled up together.

"I love you, honey".

"Love you too, baby".

He kissed her a few times and then they fell asleep together.

***Monday morning***

Jennifer woke up when her alarm went off and headed for the shower.

Jonathan was moving slowly.

She was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup when he came in.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and started kissing her neck.

"Jonathan, I have to get to work this morning. You're going to make me late".

"It'll be worth it".

"Tell that to my boss".

He stepped in the shower while she finished getting ready.

When he came out, she was in the kitchen making a salad for lunch.

She had the news on.

He came to her and kissed her.

She kissed him a couple times.

"Coffee's ready if you want some".

"Thanks".

"I should be home by 5 or 5:30. Make yourself at home".

She finished her coffee and then put her mug in the dishwasher.

" _Breaking news: The owner of Paradise Harbor Marina says a fire completely destroyed his business, putting an end to his 75 -year career as a local business owner"._

Jennifer noticed Jonathan intently watching the broadcast.

"Honey, what is it?"

"That marina they are talking about, that's where my boat was".

She rubbed his back a little bit.

"I better call my insurance company. I'll call you later, I love you".

"I love you too".

A few quick kisses later, and she was out the door and he was on the phone.

***San Francisco Chronicle***

Jennifer came in and got to work. She was finally finished writing her article about the San Francisco Boat race. She decided to tell it from her perspective.

She turned it in, and her boss surprisingly approved it.

"Here are your new assignments".

She opened the file and read the list.

"Brad Klasko, an article on a local epidemic, and an article on a hidden gem in San Francisco. Interesting".

She went to the lobby and grabbed a copy of another local San Francisco paper, and took it back to her desk and started leafing through it.

She circled a few events that she wanted to check out and was beginning the brainstorming process when her phone rang.

"Hello, this is Jennifer Edwards".

"Hey stranger, It's Olivia".

"Well, hi! How are you?"

"I'm fine. I'm fabulous. I just got a promotion. I'm going to be the new editor at the LA Times".

"What? That's wonderful!"

"And I'm going to need a new Lifestyle Editor. You interested?"

"Absolutely. But I cannot afford to take it unless it pays at least what I am making now".

"I'll match your salary and raise it 20%".

"It's a deal".

"Ok, so you need to go to the website and apply like normal. I'll take the helm next Monday, and we can schedule your interview after that".

"I'm so excited. I have so much to tell you. Jonathan and I are back together, so this will be great for us, since he lives in LA."

"Is he treating you right this time?"

"We are both treating each other exceptionally well. I cannot wait for you to meet him".

"From what I have researched about the Times, he and the Times have a great relationship, so I'm sure I will".

"I should be back in LA weekend after next if not sooner, so maybe we can have lunch when I get back".

"Sounds great! Also, I rented a duplex, in Seaview Harbor. Each side is one bedroom, one bath, and has a full kitchen and living room, plus a large patio. Separate entrances and driveways. So, it's like we are living next door to each other, but share the same address. If you are looking for a place, I'd love to have you as a neighbor".

"You got it".

"Wonderful! We can talk details next time".

"Sounds great. I'll be in touch".

They hung up and she went online and filled out the application right away.

She called her house and got no answer, which meant Jonathan wasn't home.

She couldn't wait to tell him she was moving to Los Angeles.

She left a little early, and headed to the grocery store and picked up the ingredients for a special dinner.

She decided to make them fresh three-cheese manicotti with meat sauce, garlic bread and a garden salad.

She came inside and set everything down.

Jonathan had left her a note.

" _Baby-ran out to meet with my insurance agent. Be back soon, I love you"._

She headed to the bedroom to change clothes and then came out and started cooking.

He finally got home around 6:30, and found her on the patio, sipping a glass of wine.

"Hey".

"Hey, I'm glad you're home".

She stood up to kiss him.

"Want a cocktail?"

"Please".

She went and made him one and then came out and sat on his lap.

"Honey, what did your agent say?"

"Well, someone torched the shop, and my boat was torched in the process. Total loss. So, unfortunately, the shop owner only has to pay me a quarter of what it was worth, because that's what his policy says."

"That's not fair".

"No, it's not. I'll probably never see a dime, since he's not renewing his coverage or anything. He's just walking away and retiring".

"Well, I have some good news".

"What's that?"

"Olivia, my friend from the New York Times, called me today. She has been made editor of the Los Angeles Times, and she wants me to be the Lifestyle editor. So, she takes the helm next Monday. I applied for the position today, and she and I have to go through the formal interview process, and then as soon as she offers me the job, I'll take it and turn in my two weeks. She has a duplex also, and she wants me to live there with her".

"You mean you're going to be living in Los Angeles?"

She nodded.

"That's the best news I've heard all day".

He kissed her passionately and held her for a few minutes.

"I made us dinner, it should be ready soon".

He carried her inside and set her down in the living room.

"Darling, I got my new assignments today, and I think I'm going to have to stay in town this weekend. So, I hope you were serious about coming here this weekend".

"I was".

"Wonderful. There's an event I want us to go to. It's called 'San Francisco Healthy Choices'.

"What is that?"

"According to the Frisco Flyer, it's an event where restaurants enter one menu item they serve at their restaurant. Those with tickets can walk around trying all of the different dishes. The money goes to a good cause."

"When is it?"

"Sunday, from 11-2. Come on, what do you say?"

"I'll do anything with you, darling."

He leaned forward and kissed her.

"Darling, Saturday night you pampered me. So, what do you say to me pampering you tonight after dinner?"

"I say do we have to eat?"

She started laughing and looked at him.

"Jonathan!"

"I was kidding. I can't wait to try whatever you cooked".

"Three cheese manicotti with meat sauce, and I made us a chopped salad, and garlic bread".

"Sounds wonderful".

He set the table while she got everything ready, and then he made them fresh cocktails.

After they ate, they did the dishes together, and then he called Jack.

"11:30 at the airport?"

"See you there".

She went to her room and set the alarm for 11 p.m.

She changed into a short nightgown, while he stripped down to his boxer briefs.

He laid on the bed on his stomach and she straddled his butt and started rubbing some massage oil onto his back and shoulders.

"Ohhhhhh, that feels so good".

She rubbed his back all over and really got his knots out, and then she got up and got a warm washcloth and scrubbed his back and shoulders.

She leaned down and started kissing his back and shoulders. She gave him a long back scratch, and pretty soon, he was fast asleep.

She climbed off him and stretched out beside him and covered them with a blanket.

She reset the alarm to 10:30, and they slept till it went off.

She reached over and turned it off and then started nudging him.

"Wake up".

"Hmm?"

"Wake up!"

He sat up.

"You have a plane to catch".

She got out of bed and went to get some water, while he got dressed.

He came out a few minutes later.

He wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep on you. I'll make it up to you, I promise".

"It's alright. Want me to ride with you to the airport?"

"No, I don't want you to have to come back home late at night by yourself. I'll call you when I get home, I promise".

She nodded.

"Thank you for a wonderful weekend, honey".

"I love you, darling, all my heart".

After a few long sensual kisses, he left for the airport and she headed back to bed.

Around 1 a.m., her phone rang, and she sleepily picked it up.

"Hello?"

"I love you. I'm in this big bed without you, darling. I miss you immensely".

"I love you too. I'm glad you got home safe".

"I'll be back Thursday night, baby."

"Just think, in a couple weeks, you and I won't have to spend time apart at all".

"I can't wait".

"I love you".

"I love you most. I'll call you tomorrow".

She blew him a kiss as they hung up and she fell back into a deep sleep again.

***Tuesday***

Jennifer came into the newsroom and set her stuff down. She headed to the lounge to get some coffee and then came back to her desk.

Several people came by her desk and commented on her article.

"Scathing review you gave of the boat race, Edwards. Hope I don't ever make you mad".

"Nice article. Very direct. No room for misunderstandings".

She sat down and got to work on her next article.

About an hour later, her boss, Megyn, made an announcement.

"It's official everyone, the Chronicle has a new owner. We are no longer owned by Express Media. As soon as I get more details, I will pass them along".

She got back to work and then an hour later, Megyn buzzed her desk.

"Can you come to the office, please?"

"Certainly".

She went to the office, and found Megyn and a very handsome gentleman sitting at the desk.

"Have a seat please. Jennifer Edwards, this is Brad Klasko".

"Nice to meet you".

They shook hands.

"Miss Edwards, I'll get right to the point. My company is the one that sponsored and organized the San Francisco Boat race. And your article was way out of line".

"My article only contained the facts about what happened aboard the boat that I was on, and my opinion on how it should have been handled, from my own experience".

"Tell me in your own words what happened".

"I was assigned to be the helper on the boat that Jonathan Hart entered into the race, the Dealbreaker. We took off like normal, and everything was fine, and then his boat broke down, and we were stranded overnight and had to be rescued by the coast guard and towed in. Not one person from the race organization came to check on us, which makes me wonder if they even noticed that we never crossed the finish line. Seems to me if you have 15 participants and only 14 finish the race, one would wonder where the 15th participant was".

"That's a valid point. Let me apologize to you for our error in not looking for you. However, your article is painting my company in a negative light and that's not okay with me."

"It's a factual article and I stand by it, 100%".

"Well, in light of that, let me inform you that I am the new owner of this paper, effective this morning. And as the new owner, I plan on making some changes across the board. And here's the first one-you, Miss Edwards, are fired".


	28. Chapter 28

"Fine".

"I shouldn't do this, but if you want to submit a resignation letter instead, along with an article retracting your previous one, I'll accept it".

"No thank you. As I said, I stand by my article".

"Well, then you have one hour to clean out your desk".

"It won't take me that long".

"Now hold on, isn't this a little harsh? Jennifer is an excellent reporter, and an excellent employee. She's never had so much as a verbal warning. Can't we resolve this another way?"

"I'll think about it."

"Please don't. It's clear that you don't value the time or energy or hard work others put into their job, so why should I bust my behind working for you?"

"Would you care to explain that remark?"

"I've been trying to interview you for 4 weeks. You keep canceling my appointment with you and rescheduling with no notice. I even asked your secretary what I could do to ensure that you would keep your appointment and she told me absolutely nothing. So, if you don't value my hard work and the time I put into my assignments, what makes you think I'm going to value working for you?"

"I see. I'm sorry you feel that way".

Jennifer got up and walked to her desk without another word.

She went to the supply room and got a box and packed up her desk and was out the door in less than an hour.

She headed home and poured herself a glass of wine and called Olivia.

"Olivia Watkins".

"Hi. I have to ask you something".

"Shoot".

"Did you read my latest article?"

"I did. I thought it was absolutely excellent".

"Great. I just got fired over it, so I'm hoping you will still hire me".

"Of course, I'll still hire you. I cannot believe you got fired over that".

"Me either. I think it was out of spite, honestly. The owner of the company that organized the boat race bought the paper. As soon as he took possession of it, he fired me."

"Jennifer, that sounds like you have a wonderful case for wrongful termination".

"Maybe…I'm just so mad. I made it very clear that this experience was only my experience, and that I couldn't report on anyone else's experience because of my experience. And he even said that someone from the race should have come and checked on us and looked for us and apologized for them not doing so. And then he said that if I wanted to resign and write a retraction, that he would accept that. I refused".

"Good for you. He can shove it up his ass".

She managed to crack a smile briefly.

"Well, I guess if I'm fired, then I can start working for you sooner. So, just tell me when and where to show up".

"As soon as I know, I'll let you know".

"Great. I'll talk to you later".

They hung up. Jennifer finished her cocktail and then sat on the couch a minute.

She thought for a little bit, and then did something totally impulsive.

***Jonathan***

Jonathan was in his office, on the phone. Kristin had sent her latest set of demands and Jonathan was fighting them.

His lawyer promised him that he would meet with her lawyer and suggest mediation one more time. If they refused, they would take her to court and get a court order that stated she had no rights to make demands outside of their parenting plan.

As soon as he hung up, his door opened.

He looked up and saw Jennifer coming through the door.

"Darling, what are you doing here?"

She ran to him and hugged him tight.

"Hey, are you ok?"  
She just held him.

"Let's sit down".

As soon as they sat down, she dug out a Kleenex from her purse and started wiping her eyes.

"I was fired".

"You were fired? For what?!"

"My article about the boat race. The owner of the boat race didn't like it. So, he bought the paper, and then fired me first thing".

"Who is the owner?"

"Brad Klasko".

"I see."

He leaned over and picked up the phone next to the couch.

"Deanne, can you please call Owen and have him come here?"

"Yes, Mr. Hart".

"Thank you".

"I should go, you're busy".

"No, it's ok. That's my lawyer. I want you to tell him what happened and I want him to give us his take on it".

Owen got there about 10 minutes later, and Jennifer had calmed down some.

"Owen, this is my girlfriend Jennifer Edwards. Jennifer, this is Owen Grant, my attorney".

"Hi, nice to meet you".

"Jennifer was fired this morning and I think it was unlawful".

"Tell me what happened".

"So, I was assigned to do an interview with a San Francisco businessman, and every time our appointment would come up, he would cancel it and reschedule it. I asked his secretary what I could do to ensure that the appointment would take place, and she said absolutely nothing. So, I've never been able to interview him. Then, I was assigned to do the boat race, and I ended up being matched to Jonathan and his boat. And we were in the race and then his boat broke down and we were off course. We were stranded for 24 hours. Not one person from the race committee came to look for us or help us. That seems sketchy to me-if you have 15 participants in a race, wouldn't you notice that only 14 participants finished? Then, Jonathan had his boat towed to a marina to be repaired and the marina mysteriously burned down this past weekend. I didn't even include that tidbit in my article at all. So, my article was published in yesterday's Chronicle. I didn't name names, I just stated what happened to Jonathan and myself and that I felt it was completely egregious and morally reprehensible that nobody came to our aid, save for the coast guard. I stated that after this experience, the only way I would ever be involved with that race again was as a spectator. Sometime yesterday, the Chronicle was purchased. The new owner took possession this morning, and first thing, he fired me. He said his company was the one that put the race on, and that I slandered his company. He did say that if I chose to write a retraction, he would allow that along with my resignation, but I refused."

"I think you have an excellent case for wrongful termination. It sounds to me like he purchased the paper for the sole purpose of firing you".

"That was the feeling I got".

"Owen, if you will file the lawsuit, I'll cover her attorney's fees".

"You got it. I'll be in touch".

Jennifer squeezed Jonathan's hand.

"Thank you, Owen."

"My pleasure".

Owen left, and Jonathan and Jennifer sat there a little longer.

"I'm sorry to have ambushed you, honey. I just couldn't be alone today".

"It's alright. You can ambush me anytime".

She gave him a light kiss.

"Now, that's not up to our usual standard".

She smiled at him and then gave him a steamier kiss.

"That's better".

They were quiet for a few moments.

"How did you get here?"

"I purchased a ticket and then rented a car".

"I tell you what. I have a meeting in 10 minutes, and then I can come home. Why don't you head to the house? I'll call Max and tell him you are coming. He'll be thrilled to see you".

She nodded.

"You can stay with me till Thursday, and then we can fly back to San Francisco and pack your apartment and move you down here this weekend".

"That's a good idea".

He walked her to the door.

"I love you, I'll be home as soon as I can".

"I love you too".

She gave him several kisses and then headed home.

He called the house as soon as she was on the elevator.

"Max, hey it's me. Jennifer is on her way to the house. She's upset, so she'll probably just go straight upstairs. Keep an eye on her, would you? I have a meeting and then I'll be home as soon as it's over".

"You got it, Mr. H."

He hung up and headed to his meeting.

***Jonathan's house***

Jennifer pulled up and parked, and Max came out to meet her.

"Hi Miss Edwards! I'm so glad you're back".

"Thanks, Max".

"Here, let me grab your bags".

"Thank you".

She headed upstairs with him right behind her.

He set the bags down on the bed.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me".

"Thanks, Max. I'm ok".

She took a long bubble bath and then got out and put on some black palazzo pants and a bright pink top.

She came into the kitchen and poured herself a sparkling water with a twist of lime.

"Want me to fix you something to eat, Miss Edwards?"

"Oh, that's ok. I'll just have an apple".

She settled on the couch with her sparkling water and her apple and leafed through a magazine that highlighted local events in Los Angeles.

Jonathan got home just before 4.

"Hi".

"Hi".

He came and sat by her and kissed her.

"I bought the tickets for us to go the healthy choices thing. I still want us to go".

"They are having one here in LA in three weekends. Why don't we go to that one instead?"

She nodded.

"Owen filed a lawsuit, and he said if you could please write out an official statement, and bring it to the office tomorrow, he'll include it. Deanne can notarize it".

"Ok".

"Mr. H., we got a problem. The stove just went out. No stove means no cooking".

"Call a repairman, Max."

"You got it, Mr. H."

Jonathan made himself a cocktail and then came back and sat with Jennifer. She turned the tv on and found them a movie to watch.

Max came out of the kitchen a few minutes later.

"Mr. H., the repairman will be here at 10 in the morning. I'm headed to a poker game. I'll see you two's later".

"Good luck, Max".

"Have fun, Max".

They laid on the couch and watched their movie till it ended.

Jennifer sat up and drank some of her water and then laid back down with him.

"Did you have plans tonight?"

"No, why?"

"I was just thinking I just barged in and didn't even ask you if you had time to see me".

"I'll always make time to see you, darling".

"You're so sweet to me".

He gave her a few kisses.

"So what made you decide to just fly to me?"

"Well, honestly, I feel lost. I've never been fired before, and even though he gave me the opportunity to resign instead, that to me felt like I would be compromising my integrity as a journalist, so I turned it down. It was clear that my staying on wasn't going to happen, especially when he gave me an hour to clean out my desk. So, I called Olivia when I got home and made sure she would still hire me, and then I decided that if I didn't have to be at the office, I'd rather be with you, so I packed a bag and bought a ticket and here I am".

"Well, his loss is someone else's gain. And I think Owen is going to make him realize that."  
"I did think about writing freelance. I hope that Olivia doesn't mind if I did that on the side".

"I don't see why she would".

She got up and went to the bathroom and came back and found him by the door.

"Hungry? Why don't we go get some dinner?"

She nodded.

He drove her to this quaint little Mexican place about 25 minutes away.

"Where are we?"

"This is one of Max's favorite Mexican places. He turned me on to it several years ago. They have the most amazing guacamole. I'm also rather fond of their chicken tacos with ole' sauce."

"Sounds yummy".

They each ordered the chicken taco platter, and Jonathan ordered them some tableside guacamole.

"I suppose I should call Olivia and see how soon I can move into the duplex".

"You can stay with Max and me as long as you need to, darling. It's not an imposition, honest".

"I appreciate that".

After a nice dinner, he drove her back to the house.

He built them a fire in the fireplace and they cuddled up on the couch next to it.

He rubbed her shoulders for her, and just held her and loved on her.

"I'm so glad you are here. This house is lonely when you aren't here".

"My apartment isn't a swinging party scene without you, either".

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"How did it go with Kristin's new demands?"

"Well, we are still at square one. She keeps changing them. So, I think Owen is going to contact her lawyer and either request a mediator or a judge to issue an order once and for all".

"What are her new demands?"

"Well, she wants to approve anything I have for the baby here in the house, and she wants to pick out how the nursery is decorated so that he will feel comfortable here".

"I see. Well, do you want to go shopping for baby stuff?"

"No, I don't think we need to do that just yet. I don't even know what he will need".

"Oh, it's very simple. He will need a crib, and a changing table, and a swing, and a diaper genie, and a bouncer and a playmat and a jumperoo".

"Well, before he gets here, I will get all that and get it all set up".

"He's also going to need a dresser and some clothes, I'm sure."  
"You know, most women upon hearing that their boyfriend is having a baby with an ex would run screaming for the hills. I'm so thankful that you didn't".

"Most men wouldn't give a woman like me another chance like you did. I'm so thankful you aren't most men".

She leaned up and kissed him a few times.

"Do you really think I can win the wrongful termination lawsuit?"

"I think you have a good chance, yes".

"I just feel so foolish".

"Baby, this wasn't your fault. He clearly did this out of spite".

"I just don't want anyone to think less of me because of it".

"Anyone who knows you, and I mean really knows you, would never be able to think less of you".

"Do you think you really know me?"

"I think so. Maybe not 100%, but I would bet I'm pretty close".

"Prove it. What's my favorite thing to do?"

"This".

He leaned forward and captured her lips in an absolutely mesmerizing kiss.


	29. Chapter 29

***Thursday***

Jonathan and Jennifer flew up to San Francisco just after dinner, and went straight to her apartment.

Jonathan had brought with them a couple pallets worth of boxes, and some miscellaneous packing supplies.

Jennifer started on the kitchen, and with them working together, they were finished in about an hour.

She started on the bookshelf next, while he cleaned out her storage closet.

She had just taped and labeled the box when he came inside.

"Darling, what do you say we call it a night?"

"I'm with you".

She locked up and turned out the lights, and got a fresh glass of water, and headed to bed.

He climbed into bed and turned her tv on, and she snuggled up to him and started scratching his chest.

They managed to make it through the sports, and then he turned the tv off and turned to her.

"Honey-"

He crushed her lips with his, as he took her in his arms and kissed her with a passion that she was positive she had never felt before.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, as he made love to her for the first of a few times that night.

***Friday***

Jonathan and Jennifer woke up around 9 and showered and dressed and started packing again. By early afternoon, they had the entire apartment packed.

He picked up the phone and called a moving company.

"I will pay your company an extra $1000 plus I promise to tip the guys at least $500 each if they can come pack up our apartment and move the furniture and boxes to LA sometime next week".

They accepted the deal and he gave them an address.

He went back to her in the bedroom.

"Darling, get dressed. I'm taking you out for dinner".

"Oh, darling, why don't we order in? I'm beat. And all my nice clothes are packed".

"I'm okay with that."

She leaned up and kissed him.

"I promise you, I'll let you take me out in LA once I get settled, alright?"

"It's a deal".

He went and found the menus that she had clipped to the side of the refrigerator.

They picked a restaurant and he called in their order.

She was sitting on the couch, and he came and joined her.

"So, tomorrow, we will disconnect the tv's and the phones, and then the moving company will be here at 11. Once they pack us up, I will call Jack and have him fly us back home".

"You are absolutely wonderful for helping me move, honey. I really appreciate it".

"I love you, Jennifer. I wasn't going to make you do this by yourself".

They sat on the couch kissing and cuddling till their food got there, and then they decided to eat on the patio.

"Did you tell the landlord you were moving yet?"

"Yes. Olivia sent them a letter stating that she was by boss and that I had to move for a job, so they let me out of the lease without making me pay to break it, thankfully. I was going to hire someone to come clean it, but I think I might just pay the $300 cleaning fee to them and not worry about it".

She took their trash inside and then came back out and sat in his lap. The breeze on the patio felt so nice that neither of them wanted to go inside.

"Darling, why don't you go take a bubble bath? And while you do that, I'm going to put together a little surprise for you."

"A surprise for me?"

"Yes. Think of it as a last send off for the apartment".

"I see. I'll be in the bath, come get me when it's ready".

She kissed him and headed to the bathroom.

She took an extra hot soak with Epsom salts and had just gotten out when he came to get her.

"Just in time".

She put on her pajamas, and he changed into his as well, and then he picked her up.

"Eyes closed, baby".

She buried her face in his neck as he carried her to the living room.

He set her down.

"Keep your eyes closed. But listen to what I'm telling you, alright?"

"Alright".

"I know that we packed boxes all day long, but I had to unpack one box to make this happen. I promise you, I'll pack it back myself".

"It's fine, honey".

She heard him turn on some music.

"Ok, you can open your eyes".

She opened her eyes to see that he had moved the furniture out of the way, and he had unpacked her box of candles and lit about 10 of them. He had also strung up her patio lights inside.

"Dance with me, darling?"

She nodded.

They shared several dances, cheek to cheek.

"We've had some good times here, in the past month".

"Yeah, we have. We had a couple bad ones, but we had more good ones".

"We had my favorite fight here".

"Your favorite fight?"

"Yes. It's the one that started everything between us again, that led to us getting back together".

"We've had some very romantic times here too".

"Yeah, we have. I'm going to miss living up high. I kind of like it".

After their dance ended, he picked her up and carried her to each candle and let her blow them out.

He carried her to the bedroom and set her down next to the bed.

They climbed in bed and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you for my surprise, I loved it".

She leaned up and kissed him a few times.

"You're welcome. I love that you loved it".

"Jonathan….can I ask you something?"

"Of course".

"If someone were to ask you how long you and I have been together, what would your answer be?"

"Well, I suppose I would tell them we've known each other since the spring, but we've been together since the boat race, September 7th".

"Good. That would be my answer too".

"Are you worried about people asking us that?"

"Not really. It has crossed my mind that Kristin's lawyer might take this to court and you would have to answer questions about our relationship under oath. I guess you could say I'm a little afraid that she isn't going to like the answers and she will hold it against you when it comes to you and your child".

"I've thought of that too, but I can't exactly expect her to be honest with me if I'm not willing to be honest with her. All I can do is be honest, hope for the best, and then deal with whatever happens".

"I guess that's all we can do".

He rolled on top of her.

"Yes, it is. And for tonight, I think there might be something else we can do".

"Do tell".

He leaned down and slowly kissed her.

They spent the next few hours making love before they fell asleep.

***Saturday***

Jonathan and Jennifer were awake by 8:30. He ran out and rented them a car and stopped and got them bagels and coffee, while she packed up the last of her stuff.

The movers arrived right on time, and worked till 3.

"We will drive your things down on Monday."

"Perfect. Thank you so much".

Jennifer got out her checkbook, but Jonathan wouldn't let her pay for it.

"I got this, it's alright".

"Thank you, honey".

She leaned up and kissed him.

He loaded their bags into the rental car while she gave everything a last glance-over and locked the door.

She stopped and dropped the keys at the front desk, and gave them Jonathan's address as her new location, just in case.

She met him in the parking lot, and they headed to the airport.

They stopped and picked up lunch for the flight home, and then he dropped her off at the plane and went to return the rental car.

As soon as he got back to the plane, they took off.

"I'm so excited to be living in the same city as you".

"I'm excited for that too".

He leaned over and kissed her temple.

"When do you start at the paper?"

"Olivia said she would call me Monday. I'm thinking Wednesday, maybe."

"Wonderful".

"Honey, are you sure there is room for me at your house?"

"I'm positive. I'll make room if I have to".

"That's sweet".

She leaned over and kissed him.

As soon as they landed, he helped her down the stairs and loaded their bags into the car. Max was waiting on them to take them home.

"Hi you two".

"Hi Max".

"Hey Max".

"I didn't make a big dinner, but we have stuff we can grill out if you two want".

"Anything sounds fine with me".

"Me too".

They got home and Jennifer took her bags upstairs with Jonathan right behind her.

"What do you want to do tonight, honey?"

He came and wrapped his arms around her.

"How about a little afternoon delight?"

"Jonathan….what if Max hears us?"

"So we'll shut the door".

"We'll have to be quiet".

"I can handle that".

He kissed her slow and passionately, while he ran his hands up under her top.

He was fumbling, trying to unhook her bra.

"In the front, honey".

He got it opened and then grabbed her breasts as he kissed her.

She was furiously trying to unbutton his shirt.

"Mr. H.? You got a visitor".

Jennifer sighed.

"Ok, we'll be right down".

Jennifer fixed her bra and her top, while Jonathan buttoned his shirt back up.

"I'm sorry. Hold that thought, baby".

He kissed her cheek and then took her hand and led her downstairs.

Kristin was sitting on the couch.

"What can we do for you?"

"Well, I only came here to see you. I want us to talk about the baby".

"I gave your lawyer my response to your demands".

"I know. He showed it to me. $5000 a month in child support? You can't seriously expect me to live on a paltry 5 grand a month".

"Yes, I can. You are a nurse, you can supplement the 5 grand with your income. And if that's not enough, then you will have to make cutbacks".

"What about childcare, or health insurance?"

"I will put our child on my insurance".

Jennifer went and made herself a sparkling water with crushed ice and came back and sat next to Jonathan.

"And I don't want HER around my baby!"

"If you are going to dictate who is at my house, then I will do the same with yours. Do you want to start that?"

"Fine".

"Anything else?"

"I have an appointment on Tuesday, at 11. Here's the address, in case you want to come".

"I was going to talk to you about that. I want to come to all the appointments, plus I want to be there when you give birth".

"I'm fine with that".

"And one more thing, and this one is non-negotiable. I expect you to treat Jennifer with respect and kindness, when you are in our home or when the baby is here. Max too. In return, we will do the same for you and for whomever is in your home. I'm not expecting us to all be best friends by any stretch of the imagination, but I do think this situation will be better for all of us, especially our child, if we are at least civil and respectful towards each other."

"If I agree to that, will you raise the $5000 to $7500?"

"No. But I'll keep it at $5000 instead of dropping it to $2500".

She wasn't pleased, but she finally agreed.

"Ok, deal. But, I don't want everyone in the room when he's born. I really only want my mom and you. And when he comes here, I don't want Max smoking in front of him".

"I think we can be ok with that".

"So, let's recap. You will pay me $5000 a month for child support, you will put him on your health insurance, if we have to do childcare, we will each pay half of that, I get to approve whatever house you purchase, for safety reasons of course, and you get to be in the delivery room and come to the doctor's appointments. Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of."

She grabbed a pen out of her purse and signed the contract, and then slid it across the coffee table to him.

He read it over, and then signed on the bottom line.

"Wonderful. See you Tuesday, at 11".

He walked her out and returned to Jennifer.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You got things settled, that's great".

"You seem upset".

"I'm not. I'm fine, honest".

Max came in with a tray of appetizers and set them on the table.

"Is she still here?"

"Just left, Max. And we came to some terms-one of them being that once the baby is born, when he's here for visits, you can only smoke outside away from him".

"I understand, Mr. H. Tell me, is she going to be coming along on these visits?"

"We didn't put that in the agreement. As far as I'm concerned, no she isn't."

"Good. You know I would never tell you what to do, but if she starts coming for more than 10 minutes at a time, I'm going to start leaving every time she's here".

"I don't blame you".

Jennifer and Jonathan snuggled up on the couch with a cocktail, while Max grilled them some chicken and veggie kebabs.

They spent a low-key evening just being together and not talking at all about Kristin and the baby.

***Monday***

Jennifer got up with Jonathan, and they had breakfast together.

She walked him to the door when he had to leave.

"We get the keys at 10 to the duplex, so I'll probably be all moved in by the time you are done at the office".

"I'll swing by on my way home. I love you".

"I love you too".

She gave him a few kisses and then he left, and she went upstairs to pack her clothes into suitcases and garment bags.

Max drove her to the duplex, and she called Jonathan's office to give him the exact address.

By the time he was headed home, she was knee deep in boxes.

She decided to tackle one room at a time and started on the kitchen.

She was almost done by the time Jonathan got there.

He knocked on the door, and she went to answer it. He was standing there with a dozen roses in a crystal vase and two pizzas in the other hand.

"You are a sight for sore eyes".

She took the pizzas from him and kissed him and they walked inside.

"I'm absolutely famished".

"Place looks nice… shouldn't take you too long to unpack".

"I figure at 3-5 boxes a day, I should be unpacked in 20 years, tops".

He chuckled and embraced her.

"I can help you unpack you know".

"I appreciate it".

He held her for a few minutes and then they ate, and spent the evening unpacking boxes.

He was debating on whether to stay the night when her phone rang.

"Hello? Sure, he's right here".

She held the phone out to him.

"It's for you, it's Max".

"How did he get this number?"

"I gave it to him this morning when he dropped me off".

He took the phone from her.

"Hello? I see. Ok, I'll be right there".

He hung up the phone.

"I have to go, Kristin is at the hospital. She says there's something wrong with the baby".

"It's ok, I understand".

"I want to stay here with you….but I need to make sure the baby is ok too".

"Call me when it's over?"

He nodded.

"I love you. How about dinner tomorrow night?"

"Yes, please".

"I'll call you later, and I'm sure I'll talk to you tomorrow".

"I love you, thanks for dinner and my flowers and helping me unpack".

"Anytime, sweetheart".

A few kisses later, and he was out the door and headed to the hospital. Jennifer was headed to bed, wishing he hadn't had to leave.


	30. Chapter 30

***Tuesday***

Jonathan had called Jennifer around 1 a.m. He sounded absolutely frustrated.

"It was nothing. She had heartburn and was trying to convince me she was in early labor. They laughed her out of the hospital."

"Well, I'm glad it wasn't more serious".

"I'm beat. I'll call you in the morning, baby. I love you".

"I love you too".

She slept till 7, and woke up and started unpacking.

Instead of calling her, he stopped by with coffee and bagels.

"Morning, baby".

"Morning". She leaned up and kissed him and then took a coffee from him.

"I'm sorry I was in such a horrible mood last night when I called you. It wasn't your fault".

"It's ok, I would have been upset too. Thankfully, we only have a couple more months of this".

They had a nice breakfast and then he had to head to the office.

"Before I go, there's a charity auction next weekend. Hart Industries is a major sponsor, along with the Los Angeles Methodist Hospital and a few other companies. Dinner, dancing, live auction, the whole works. Want to be my date?"

"It would be my pleasure".

She kissed him a few times and hugged him for a few minutes.

"I'll send you an official invite, it has the theme and all that on it".

She nodded.

"Well, have fun at the office. I'll be unpacking all day. My goal is to get at least the living room unpacked and my bedroom and bathroom set up the way I like it".

"I'll swing by tonight on my way home. I love you love you".

"I love you love you too".

He left and she headed for the shower and got dressed. She was unpacking in the living room when the doorbell rang.

She went to answer it.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Hi. I'm Lyndsey, from Hart Industries. Mr. Hart asked me to bring you this".

She handed her an invitation.

"Oh, thank you".

"He also sent me and 4 other people to help you unpack. He said for you to put us to work, doing whatever you needed and that he will pay us later. This is Emily, Jessica, Brandi and Beth".

"Wonderful! Come on in".

She showed them the basics, and left them to it. With them unpacking her linen closet, living room, organizing her storage closet and hanging her patio lights, she was free to organize her closet and bathroom.

By 4, they had it all done.

"I cannot thank you girls enough, you all have been an absolute godsend. I couldn't have done this without you!"

"It was our pleasure".

Jonathan came in the door just then, and paid them, and they left.

"Thank you for sending them, honey. That was the best gift ever".

She leaned up and kissed him several times.

"You deserve it. Happy to help".

He looked around the room.

"Place looks great. They did a great job".

"Yeah, they did. Listen, I'll be ready in 30 minutes. Make yourself at home".

She kissed him and headed to the bedroom to shower and get ready.

The phone rang while she was in the shower, so he picked it up.

"Hello? Hey Max".

They talked for a few minutes and then he hung up.

Jennifer came out of the bedroom in a towel.

"Did I hear the phone ring?"

"Yeah, I got it. It was Max. Kristin called-she's at the hospital. She fell and twisted her ankle".

"Oh. Are you going to the hospital?"

"Not till after you and I have dinner. I told him the restaurant we are going to in case there's an emergency, but unless she's in labor or there's something wrong with the baby, I don't plan on dropping everything and running to her side".

"Good. I'll be ready soon".

She disappeared back into the bedroom and finally emerged in a blue cowl neck tank dress, and black wedges.

"You look absolutely gorgeous".

He came to her and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you".

She locked the door and they walked to the car. He opened the door for her and helped her in, and then slid into the driver's seat.

"Where are we going?"

"There's a little Italian restaurant down the coast a little bit called Formaggio's. We have reservations in half an hour".

"Wonderful".

They drove with the top down, and he held her hand most of the way.

He pulled them up to the restaurant and parked, and opened her door for her.

They had a lovely little table that was in the back, in sort of a private area. They had a small, curved booth for two people.

"This is gorgeous. How did you find this place?"

"Someone at work told me about it. I came here a few years ago, and had the absolute best meatballs I've ever had in my life".

They had the most romantic dinner they had ever had, and after the waiter took their plates, Jonathan paid the bill.

They decided to dance a few dances to the house band, and barely noticed everyone watching them.

During their last dance, he spun her and dipped her and everyone clapped for them.

As they were walking out, the host walked up to them.

"Mr. Hart, you have an emergency phone call. You can take it at the hostess stand".

"Thank you".

They walked up there and he took his phone call.

"Ok, we are on the way".

They headed to the car.

"Where are we headed?"

"To the hospital. Kristin supposedly had a bad reaction to something they gave her and she says she's having contractions".

***Los Angeles Methodist Hospital***

Jennifer and Jonathan walked in and headed to the information desk.

Jonathan found out her room number, and they took the elevator and then headed down the hall to her room.

They walked in to find her giving the nurse a hard time.

"Not like that, it's too tight".

She looked up and saw him.

"Oh, I'm so glad you are here. What is she doing here?!"

"We were on a date when you called".

"I see. Well, in the future, I would appreciate it if it was just you that came here".

"And I would appreciate it if you would only call me when you are in labor or there's something wrong with the baby".

The nurse finished wrapping her ankle and discharged her.

"Well, I guess we will be going."

"Wait. Did you find a house yet?"

"No."

"Have you looked?"

"No".

"Well, I think you should start. I want you in a new house before the baby gets here".

"I told you I was planning to move anyways, and I am. But you don't get to regulate the timeline".

"If you want our son to come to your house for visits, I do".

"Goodnight, Kristin".

He grabbed Jennifer's hand and they walked out.

He was quiet on the way back to Jennifer's duplex.

They went inside and sat on the couch.

She sat behind him and rubbed his shoulders.

After a few minutes, he was feeling better.

"I am glad that I met her, because that's how I met you. But I wish to hell I had never slept with her".

"Once the baby is born, you can legally limit your communication to your son only. We just have to get through the next couple of months".

"I'm afraid she's just getting started. This is probably only going to get worse".

"That's probably right. But honey, she can't stay pregnant forever. And once your son is here, we can focus on him and not on her".

"What did I ever do to deserve you?"

He leaned over and kissed her.

"Well, you broke my hammock chair and it all went downhill from there".

She kissed him back.

"I'm going to change clothes. Want to stay the night?"

"Certainly".

He took his tie off and got up and got a glass of water while she changed into her nightgown.

They settled into bed and she snuggled up to him.

"So what part of town are you leaning towards for houses?"

"As close to you as possible".

He rolled on top of her and kissed her nice and slow. He brushed a stray curl off her forehead and looked deep into her eyes.

"I know that we didn't have the best start to our life together, but you are absolutely the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me".

"And you are the best and most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me as well".

He gave her a few kisses, and wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

They spent the next 4 hours having hot passionate sex before they fell asleep absolutely exhausted.

***Wednesday***

Jonathan woke up when Jennifer's alarm went off.

He got up and made coffee while she got in the shower.

She came out dressed in black pants, a pink top, and black heels.

"Morning beautiful".

"Morning."

"Want me to drop you at the paper?"

"Please".

"My pleasure".

He poured her a cup of coffee and handed it to her.

"Mmm. Great idea".

They walked out together and he dropped her off at the paper.

"I love you, have a good day".

"I love you too, I'll call you later".

She went in and found Olivia.

"Yay, you made it!"

"I did. It's so good to see you".

They shared a hug.

"Let me show you to your office. I snagged you the second best one".

Her office had a window, and a brand new oak desk.

"I love it!"

"Decorate it however you want. The paper will pay $1500 of that. And here is your first assignment."

"Thanks".

"I'll call IT and have them bring your computer and get you all set up. Here is the employee handbook, and if you have any questions, you know where to find me".

"Thank you".

She sat down, and opened her assignment folder. "Interview the head of a local charity".

'Not too hard'.

She made a list of what she wanted to do in her office, and how she wanted to arrange it.

While she was sitting there figuring it out, the receptionist brought her a delivery.

It was a crystal vase with a chevron pattern, filled with exotic flowers-lilacs, white gladiolus, pink stargazer lilies, yellow ranunculus, and a dozen sterling roses. She dug for the card and opened it.

" _Hope you have a great first day. I love you and I am so proud of you-love, Jonathan"._

She smiled at his thoughtfulness, and then picked up the phone and called him.

"Hart Industries, can I help you?"

"Hi Deanne. It's Jennifer. Can I speak to Jonathan please?"

"Certainly".

He picked up a minute later.

"Hello?"

"Hi. Thank you for my flowers, they are beautiful".

"You're welcome. Having a good day?"

"So far. I have an office, and I am trying to figure out how I want to redecorate it. All I know for sure at the moment is I want a big fluffy desk chair that rolls. This one is so uncomfortable. Want to go shopping with me?"

"Certainly. How does tonight sound? I can pick you up at your place at 6".

"Perfect. I can't wait. I also got my first assignment. Know any local heads of charities?"

"A few. I just read about one in the paper this morning-he built a hotel empire, and he uses his profits as the financial foundation for his charity, which is a camp for kids who are sick and can't get into other camps-at his camp, they are just normal kids".

"I love that. Will you bring the paper with you tonight, please?"

"Anything for you, darling. I hate to go but I have a meeting to get to. I love you love you".

"I love you love you too". She blew him a kiss as they hung up the phone and got back to work.

Before she knew it, it was 4:30.

She packed her stuff and headed home. Thankfully, Olivia gave her a ride so she wouldn't have to take a taxi.

She had just changed into distressed skinny jeans, a black top and black peep toe booties when Jonathan got to her house.

"Hi beautiful".

"Hi handsome".

She went to him and kissed him.

He handed her the paper and she pulled out the sections she needed the most-classifieds and the section with the interview in it.

"So what are you wanting to get?"

"A mini-fridge, a big fluffy desk chair, a rug to go under my desk, a small radio for my desk, and a couple of filing cabinets, to start with".

"Well, I know just the place. And you're in luck, because I have a tax exempt number, so we can get it all wholesale".

"Wonderful".

They headed out and she took the classifieds with her.

As they drove, he noticed her circling a few ads.

"Darling, what mechanic do you use?"

"I typically use Anthony Pieretti, unless I use the dealership".

"How much do you think he will charge me to look at a used car and tell me if it's a good buy?"

"Not much. What car are you considering buying?"

"Well, I really want something mid-size. Bigger than a sports car, but not a huge like a van or a truck. Big enough that I can carry groceries or packages, but not overly large. And there's a Land Rover for sale that I think I want to check out".

"Darling, if you want a used car, I have a few connections in the dealerships. That would be safer and I'm happy to take you whenever".

"Well, I would be a fool to pass that up".

She put the paper away and looped her arm through his.

He pulled them up to the office supply store, and they went inside. 2 hours later, Jonathan was pulling two carts and looking a little frazzled. Jennifer had changed her mind on things about 4 times.

"Darling, I just can't decide. I want a rug that feels cozy, and looks chic, but not ostentatious. I want to be able to kick my heels off if I feel like it and sink my toes into the carpet. Which one do you think is better-that white one or this gray one?"

"I like the gray. Is this going over a carpet or over linoleum?"

"Linoleum".

"I like the gray. Unless you like the white, and in that case, I like whichever one gets us out of here and home to dinner the fastest".

She squeezed his chin and kissed him.

"I'm sorry darling. I promise this is the last thing".

She finally decided on the gray, and they loaded it into the cart.

They headed to the checkout and Jonathan went to the customer service desk and called Max to come with the wagon.

He came back and helped her load up the bags into the carts and they pushed them outside.

About 15 minutes later, Max pulled up.

"Hi folks".

"Hi Max. Thanks for helping".

They loaded up the wagon, and then he followed them to Jennifer's office.

They carried it all inside and got it all set up.

"Max, want to join us for dinner?"

"No thanks. I have a hot date with a lady I met at a poker game".

"Well thanks for helping, and have fun".

"Anytime, Miss Edwards".

She hugged and kissed him and then he headed out.

She turned and hugged Jonathan.

"Thank you for helping me too".

A few kisses later, they headed home and picked up Chinese for dinner along the way.

They came inside and sat at her table. She grabbed them plates and drinks and then they started to eat.

"So, I spoke with my lawyer today. And I spoke with a realtor. My house will officially be on the market by Friday. And, according to my lawyer, the agreement that we signed isn't valid. So, she and I meeting on Thursday to do it again, but this time it will be one that he draws up and he will be present".

"What's not valid about it?"

"Well, she drew it up and brought it with her. So, he said she could change it, sign and back date it and then transfer my signature. Or she could act like we never signed it at all. This way, he will have a copy, she will have one, I will have one, and we will have witnesses".

"Darling, what exactly is she suing you for?"

"She was suing to establish paternity. And that can't happen until he's born, unless she agrees to a in-utero test, that's particularly invasive and painful. She declined, and honestly, I can't say I blame her. I could force it, but I don't want to put her through that. I don't want to put anyone through that".

"Through what?"

"They take a needle that's about 18 inches long, and go in through the stomach and-"

Jennifer held her hand up.

"No thank you. I'm not particularly a fan of anything involving needles unless it's absolutely necessary".

She took her plate to the sink and put the leftovers away.

"I got tell you, darling, you are being a hell of a lot nicer to her than she deserves."

"I keep hoping that if I'm kind to her, she will be kind to me. It's not working, but I'm hoping".

He brought his plate to the sink and she put it in the dishwasher.

"Want to stay the night?"

"I do. But I have a really early breakfast meeting in the morning. Want to have lunch tomorrow?"

She nodded.

He grabbed her face and kissed her. Several minutes later, he broke the kiss and hugged her tight.

"I hate leaving you".

"I'm not too fond of it myself".

"Goodnight, I love you".

"Goodnight honey, I love you most".

"Impossible". He gave her several kisses and then he left.

"Be careful going home".

"I'll call you when I get there".

She locked up behind him and went and sank into a bubble bath.

She had just gotten out when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"I'm home, I'm in bed and I'm missing you".

"Well, I just got out of the bath and I'm missing you".

"You're killing me, baby. Sweet dreams, I'll have Deanne call you about our lunch arrangements tomorrow".

"Goodnight Jonathan Charles, I love you".

"I love you too, Jennifer Suzanne".

She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone and settled into bed, dreaming of him all night long.


	31. Chapter 31

***Wednesday***

Jennifer and Jonathan had a wonderful lunch at a little outdoor café near the paper.

"I can't believe tomorrow it will be October".

"I know, it seems like this year has just flown by".

"That's because you and I have been so busy. Maybe when things slow down, time will slow down".

"Maybe".

She reached over and got her purse.

"Darling, do you know a businessman named Elliott Manning?"

"I've heard of him, but I haven't done any business with him personally, why?"

"Well, I have been assigned an interview with him. Olivia didn't like my original idea, and she suggested that I interview him."

"I can have someone in the office dig up some background information on him if you'd like".

"I'd rather you tell me where to look so I can research it myself".

"Ok, I'll have him put together an index of sites. And darling, just so you know, my employee, Stanley, he has this ability, shall we say, of being able to find out things most people can't get within reach of. So, anytime you need him, just say so".

"Thank you, darling".

He drove her back to the paper and dropped her off.

"I'll pick you up at 6 at your place, and we can go to the dealership".

"Perfect. But tonight, dinner is on me, honey. You've been so good to me these past few days, and I really owe you one".

"The only thing you owe me is a kiss".

She happily obliged, and gave him several and then headed inside.

Right on time, she left at 5 and took a cab home.

She was waiting for him at 6 when he pulled up.

2 hours later, he had talked the car salesman into dropping the price by several thousand and Jennifer was the proud owner of a brand-new Land Rover Discovery Sport, in slate blue/grey.

He followed her home, and she got out beaming from ear to ear.

"I love it darling, thank you for helping me".

He embraced her and kissed her and they headed inside.

She was going to make them spaghetti for dinner, but she was too tired. They opted for delivery instead.

She sat on the couch next to him and swung her legs across his lap. He started giving her a foot massage.

"Oh, that feels amazing. Right there-yes, just like that".

She closed her eyes and tried to enjoy it some.

About halfway through, her phone rang. She reached over and grabbed it.

"Hello?"

"Jennifer my dear, how are you?"

"Pa! I'm fine, how are you?"

"I'm fine, just fine. Walter says you got settled into your new place in Los Angeles".

She sat up and pulled her feet away from Jonathan.

"Yes, I did. I love it out here".

"How is your new job going?"

She leaned forward. Jonathan slid behind her and started kissing her neck.

"It's going well. I think I'm really going to like it".

She was biting her cheek so she wouldn't gasp at how good Jonathan's kisses felt.

"Well, I hope that you will be joining us for Thanksgiving this year, sweetheart. It's been too long".

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Pa".

She reached up and grabbed the back of Jonathan's head with her free hand.

"Well, I just wanted to touch base with you, because I'm going to Germany tomorrow for about 3 and a half weeks. Walter will be with me, so if something comes up, he knows how to reach you. And if you need to reach me, call the gallery in London and have them transfer you".

"Ok, I will. I can't wait to be home, I have really missed you".

Jonathan moved his kisses to the other side of her neck.

"I miss you too, sweetheart. Jennifer, I have to go now, because there's someone at the door. I'll talk to you soon".

"There's someone at mine too. I love you, Pa".

"I love you too. Bye Jennifer".

"Bye Pa".

She hung up and looked at Jonathan.

"You are so bad".

"And you love it about me, admit it".

"That I do".

She snuggled up to him and kissed him passionately.

Their dinner arrived and they decided to eat on the couch.

She fed him bites of her grilled chicken and he fed her bites of his loaded baked potato.

"Honey, what ever happened with the boat? Can you recover anything?"

"My insurance company is working on a deal with his insurance company. And I've been looking for another boat. I really miss having one. But it can't just be any boat. I mean, I want it to be spacious, but not huge. I want it to have bedrooms down below, and a full shower, and at least a mini-kitchen. Like a fridge and microwave. But everything I'm seeing is either way too big or way too small".

"Well, I'm sure you will find something when you are meant to find it".

"That's what I said about you. You and I got back together when it was time".

"True".

"And when we had run out of excuses".

"Jonathan!"

"I said 'we', darling, not you. I had run out of excuses too".

"Fair enough".

After they finished dinner, she went and changed into her nightgown and robe, and he stripped down to his boxer briefs and then climbed into bed next to her.

He gave her a long backrub and really got her knots out.

She was almost asleep when he finished.

They switched and she climbed on top of him and gave him one.

After his massage was finished, she climbed off him and settled into the crook of his arm.

"Feel better?"

"Oh yes".

"Darling, can I ask you something?"

"Absolutely".

"Were you ever in a serious long-term relationship with anyone before me, aside from Kristin?"

"A few girls in college. One lasted almost 2 years. After we broke up, I wasn't in another long-term relationship till I met Kristin. But like I told you, I was in the relationship and she was in the relationship, but it wasn't till the 3rd month or so that I realized it was a relationship and that I was ok with that. She had it in her head that it was a relationship from day 1".

He looked over at her.

"What about you?"

"I dated a guy in college, and he broke my heart. And then I dated a guy right after college, who I really thought I was in love with, but we were better off as friends. And then I dated Ben, right before I met you. There were a few non-serious flings sprinkled in here and there, but the only serious ones were the college guy, the after-college guy, and Ben, and then you".

"Would you do any of it differently?"

"Aside from the obvious, no. I enjoyed what I had with each of them. Except Ben. We would have stayed friends. We were not romantically suited in the slightest".

She turned up and looked at him.

"What about you?"

"Actually, I wouldn't change a thing. I mean, I hate that I broke your heart and that we didn't have the best start, but I really think it made me learn to appreciate you more. The only thing that I would change is that I would have had more restraint when it came to being intimate with Kristin, because we wouldn't be dealing with her right now".

"Darling, didn't you tell me in Africa that she was unfaithful?"

"Yes, I did."

"So, how can you she be sure that you are the father?"

"According to her lawyer, at the time of conception she had yet to be unfaithful. And I want a DNA test, so when the baby is born, we will find out if she's telling the truth".

"I see".

"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we had never met?"

"I did, after we broke up. I convinced myself that I would have been better off. But I'm glad we met, and I think you are right, that because our first breakup was so awful we learned to appreciate each other more the second time around, and to be more honest with each other and more open".

She sat up some and started scratching his chest.

"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we had never met?"

"Not really. I remember life before I knew you and there's no comparison to life with you".

"Awww…how sweet".

"Darling, in case I don't tell you enough, or show you enough, I am so in love with you it hurts, and I appreciate you more than words can say".

"And in case I don't tell you enough or show you enough, I love you with all my heart and soul and I appreciate you and everything you do for me and with me".

They shared several long romantic kisses, and then they made love before they fell asleep.

***Friday***

Jennifer left the office a little early, so that she could get ready to go to the charity ball with Jonathan.

The theme was "Wild things in Los Angeles", so she had picked a soft gray and white zebra print sequined gown, and some black strappy Jimmy Choo's. She curled her hair in perfect ringlets, and then pinned some of it up with a sparkly clip.

She had just sprayed on some orchid perfume when he arrived to pick her up.

He whistled at her as she spun and gave him the full view. Her gown was one shoulder, and very form fitting with a thigh-high slit.

"You look spectacular, darling".

"Well, thank you".

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.

"I bought you a tie to match, if you want it".

It was metallic gray. He decided he liked it better than his black one, so he quickly changed.

After they were both ready, they headed out.

He told her about the realtor coming and putting a for sale sign in the yard that morning.

"I've already had 3 requests for showings next week. I think she priced it too high, but people are interested, so I guess that's good. I am just not looking forward to house hunting".

"You're not? I absolutely love house hunting. I could look at house plans for hours."

"Really?"

"Yes, it's relaxing to me".

He pulled them up to the venue and they parked.

They headed to the red carpet.

They posed for a few pictures, and then Kristin showed up.

"Hi".

"Hello".

"Have a good evening".

They moved to walk past her and she stopped them.

"Don't you think we should pose for a family picture? I mean, I am carrying your child after all".

He begrudgingly stepped away from Jennifer and posed for a few pictures with Kristin, and then they walked inside.

"I'm sorry, Darling. I didn't want to argue with her in front of the press".

"Jonathan, you have a real problem. She just announced to the press that you are having a child".

"I know. I swear I could kill her for that!"

"What is she doing here?"

"I asked her that during picture 2. She said that she works at the Methodist hospital that is funding this, so of course, she's going to be here".

"Well, let's just get a drink and put her out of our minds."

"Great idea".

He gave her a quick kiss and then led her to the bar.

Try as he might, he just couldn't let loose and have a good time.

He and Jennifer danced a few dances, but she could tell he wasn't into it.

All night long, Kristin was watching them, and it was starting to unnerve Jennifer.

"Darling, do you just want to head home?"

"Not just yet. I think we should get our money's worth".

"I do too, but darling, you aren't having a good time. Seeing her really got to you, so if you want to go, we can".

"I'm not going to let her run me out of here, Jennifer. I said no, and that's final".

"Fine".

She headed to the bar to get another drink, leaving him at the table.

She came back a few minutes later, with two drinks in her hand. One of his employees asked him to dance.

He looked at Jennifer.

"Fine with me".

He got up and went and danced with his employee and then came back to Jennifer.

"We can go now if you want".

She nodded.

They headed to the car and he opened the door for her.

She slid in and closed the door and he slid into the driver's seat.

They were silent the whole way back to her house.

He pulled up next to her car and parked, and went around to open the door for her.

She handed him her keys and he unlocked her door and they went inside.

"Do you want to stay?"

She still had her back to him.

"Do you want me to stay?"

She turned around and looked at him, with a look of surprise on her face.

"Jonathan, how can you ask me that? Do you think if I didn't want you to stay I would have let you see me inside?"

"Well, you didn't say two words to me the whole way home, so I just figured-"

"And why do you think that is?"

"Because you are mad that Kristin was there".

"No, actually. I'm not mad that she was there."

"Are you telling me you're happy that she was there?"

"I didn't say that".

"Well, what did you say?"

He started to take his tie off.

"What I'm trying to say is that I was fine until you snapped at me at the table for no reason. Seeing her there didn't affect me, Jonathan. It affected you. And as soon as you saw her and talked to her and took some pictures with her, you treated me like a stranger".

"That's not true".

"Yes, it is. You barely put any effort into our dance, and you hardly looked at me the rest of the night. Not to mention your rude "I said no, and that's final" response that you gave me. You absolutely treated me like a stranger after you saw her. Now, either you were mad that she was there and you took it out on me, or you aren't as over her as you think you are".

"That's ridiculous".

"Is it? What other explanation do you have for how this evening went?"

"I didn't like how she told the press that she and I are having a child and I didn't like seeing her there, but that doesn't involve you".

"Doesn't involve me? You can't be serious. You and I can barely have a meal together sometimes without her calling and begging you to run to her rescue. Our lives revolve around her approval. Believe me, Jonathan, as much as I wish I wasn't, I'm involved".

"Fine. You are involved. But me seeing her out somewhere shouldn't affect my relationship with you".

"I agree. So, that begs the question of why does it? And the only real answer to that is that you aren't completely over her as you claim to be".

"That's insane. I don't have any romantic feelings for her, I swear it".

"Your body language tonight said otherwise. You couldn't quit watching her, and she couldn't quit watching us."

Jennifer turned and grabbed a glass and poured herself a glass of wine.

She practically slammed it.

"Every time I think we've turned a corner or I think we've gotten far enough down the path that we are the only ones on it, something like this happens. First it was me catching you with her. Then, it was our fight in Africa. Then, just when I thought we had a real shot of making things work, you friend zoned me in San Francisco. Now, I finally let you back in my heart and things were really, really, good and this happens."

"Jennifer-"

"Save it. I'm going to pour myself another glass of wine, and then I'm going to head to bed, alone. You can see yourself out. When you know who it is you want in your life, and which way you really feel, then you and I can talk".

She turned and headed to the bedroom and shut the door.

He saw himself out and hoped that she would be in the mood to talk to him tomorrow.

Jennifer changed into a nightgown, climbed into bed, and let the tears fall as she drank her wine. She took the phone off the hook, and fell asleep.

***Across town***

Kristin was on the phone.

"I just need a little more time. I think I rattled both of them tonight. She really didn't like me taking pictures with him. But she didn't throw a fit like I was hoping. They seemed to be putting on appearances. Seriously, give me some more time to work on him. Pretty soon, we will have met our goal and they will be history".


	32. Chapter 32

***Saturday***

Jennifer woke up and decided to head to the beach. She went for a long run along the shore, and then headed back home. Running was usually how she cleared her head when something was bothering her.

She worked on an article the rest of the day, and then went to bed early. She was sad that Jonathan hadn't contacted her, but she was hopeful that he was doing what she asked him to-figuring out what he wanted, and who he wanted.

***Jonathan***

Jonathan had the hardest time going to sleep Friday night. He hated fighting with Jennifer more than anything. He managed to sleep a few hours, and then woke up thinking about her.

He had decided to take her brunch and was just about to get ready when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Jonathan, it's me. Listen, I don't feel so well, and the baby hasn't been moving a lot, not like normal, so i called the doctor and she wants me to come in and just have her check and see what's going on. I'm heading to the hospital now".

"I'll meet you there".

He hung up the phone and sighed.

He quickly got ready, and then headed to the hospital.

He found Kristin's room, and came in.

"Hi, I'm glad you came".

"Have you seen the doctor yet?"

"Not yet. But I have seen the nurse and she said he would be right in".

She grabbed her bag and pulled it over to her and pulled out a few bottled drinks.

"Can you open this, please?"

She handed it to him.

He noticed it was sweet tea.

He opened it and handed it back.

"Thank you".

She tried to make small talk with him, but he wasn't in the mood.

The doctor came in and did a blood draw and an ultrasound.

"Your baby is fine, as far as I can tell. The blood panel will tell us a little more".

"If he's fine, why isn't he moving?"

"Because he's out of room, just about. By my measurements, he's around 6 pounds already".

"And you are sure he's a boy?"

"Yes, and as they say, the proof is in the pudding. Look right here".

He pointed on the screen and showed them that she was definitely having a boy.

"So, if he's not moving because he's almost out of room, and that's normal, then why do I feel so crummy? My head is killing me, my fingers are swollen, and so are my feet. I can't get comfortable and I'm extremely irritable".

"Well, hopefully the blood panel will tell us what's going on. How many weeks are you?"

"Almost 30".

"Well, the good news is, if little man decides to make his entrance early, he will be viable. And the bigger he is, the more that works in his favor."

He stood up then.

"I'll be back as soon as I know what the results are".

"Thank you, doctor".

Jonathan watched a movie while she laid there and rested. They didn't speak to each other at all.

After a couple hours, she was getting even more irritable and he was getting annoyed.

Finally, the doctor came back.

"Sorry folks, there was an emergency in the OR. I had to help out".

"Do you have our results?"

"Yes. I think the reason that you are feeling so crummy is because your blood sugar is so high. Have you been tested for Gestational diabetes yet?"

"My doctor wanted me to, but I refused to do it."

"Well, I think you should reconsider that test. If you do have it and you don't do anything about it, you are putting your life and your babies' life at risk. If you treat it properly, there's a chance you won't carry it with you when you deliver, and your child won't either. I did a print out so you can see-normal is 180 mg an hour after drinking the sugary drink. You haven't had the sugary drink, and your sugar is 240".

"I haven't been drinking anything sweet though. Just this".

She handed him the bottles of sweet tea.

"This has more than 10 teaspoons of sugar per ounce. How much of this are you drinking?"

"I drink about 6 of those a day".

"That's way too much sugar for a pregnant lady. That's way too much sugar for any person. I think if you cut out the sugar and drink only water for the duration of your pregnancy, you will feel a lot better."

"Fine".

"Thank you, doctor".

He signed her discharge papers and then left.

"If he thinks I'm only going to drink water, he's insane. I'll drink as much tea as I want to".

"You know what? That's my child you are carrying. I'm telling you right now, if I find out that you endangered my son's life, I will press charges against you, I don't care how long it takes. If you want to wreck your body, fine. Do it after you give birth. Don't make him pay for your mistakes".

He got up and stormed out and headed straight to Jennifer's.

***Jennifer***

It was almost 10 when Jonathan pulled up. All her lights were off. He wanted to wake her up, but he didn't want to upset her.

He decided to call her. Busy signal.

He figured he would just have to wait till morning, and headed home.

***Sunday***

Jennifer woke up and had breakfast on her patio. She missed Jonathan, but she wasn't going to chase him. If he wanted her in his life, it was up to him to let her know that.

She vegged and watched movies for a couple hours and fell asleep on the couch.

Around 1 p.m., there was a knock on the door. She got up and answered it and found Jonathan standing on the other side.

"Can I come in?"

She nodded. He came inside and she closed the door behind him.

They went and sat on the couch.

"So?"

"So, I tried to talk to you yesterday, but your phone was busy".

"You could have come by".

"I was with Kristin".

"Oh".

"I wanted to bring you brunch yesterday, and then as soon as I decided to do that, she called and said she didn't feel well and that the baby wasn't moving. So, she was going to the hospital. So, I decided to go to the hospital too, since it's my child. And it took longer than we thought, and then I came by here on the way home, and all your lights were out. I tried you again, and your phone still had a busy signal".

"I was so upset when you left Friday night, I took the phone off the hook. I forgot to put it back on till this morning".

"I see".

"Is the baby ok?"

"Yes, I think so. She is so tiny and he's measuring something like 6 pounds I think the doctor said, so he doesn't have a lot of room to move. And then on top of that, she was drinking nothing but sweet tea, so her blood sugar was extremely high."

"I see".

He took a deep breath.

"So what brings you here today?"

"Well, the realtor scheduled several showings and we had to leave the house".

"Oh. So you only came here because you had to go somewhere, not because you wanted to see me?"

"No, that's not what I meant. I wanted to see you, but I didn't want to disturb you too early, and I thought since I had to be out of the house anyways, this was the best time".

"Jonathan, I don't want to be a second thought for you."

"You're aren't".

"Well, you're making it seem as if I am".

"I don't mean to".

"I just heard you say that you only came here because you had to be out of the house anyways".

"Can we start over? Forget the realtors, forget Kristin, just you and me, ok?"

"Fine".

"I'm sorry you feel as though I treated you differently at the charity ball. That wasn't my intentions. And I'm sorry I snapped at you. I guess she didn't anger me, at least a little. I'm also sorry that you think I don't know whether or not I'm over her, because that's not the case. I am definitely over her. From here on out, the only place she will have in my life is as the mother of my child, and that's it. And our communication will strictly be about our child as it relates to his care, nothing more. I love you, and that's never going to change. I want you in my life, and I hope that you want to be in my life as well".

"Thank you. I'm sorry I wasn't more understanding the other night. I love you too, and I'm so glad to hear you say that nothing's changed".

She leaned up and kissed him a few times.

"How about a do-over? Let me take you to a nice dinner, dancing, just you and me? I promise, Kristin won't have a clue where we are".

"Darling, you don't have to take me to fancy restaurants. I'm happy with you whatever we do".

"And I'm happy with you whatever we do."

He kissed the top of her nose.

Just then her phone rang, so she reached across Jonathan and picked it up.

"Hello? Sure, he's right here".

She handed him the phone.

He talked a few minutes and then hung up.

"Well, someone wants to pay $10,000 above my asking price, so I guess I just sold my house".

"That's wonderful".

The dryer went off, so Jennifer jumped up and went and switched out the laundry.

She carried her sheets to the bed and started to put them on. He came and helped her.

As soon as the sheets were on the bed, he pulled her onto the bed and kissed her.

"I missed you".

"I missed you too".

"What did you do yesterday?"

"I went to the beach, and ran along the shore, and then I did some research on my article on Elliott Manning".

"I see".

"Why, what did you do, besides sit at the hospital?"

"It was 11 when she called me. I got there at noon and didn't leave till 9".

"Well, that's no fun".

"I came by here but your lights were out, so I didn't knock".

"Darling, you can always wake me up".

He rolled them so she was on her back.

"Can I wake you up like this?" He leaned down and kissed her.

"Mmmmhmmm".

He started kissing her neck.

"Can I wake you up like this?"

"Mmmhmmm".

He reached up under her top and squeezed her breasts.

"Would you wake up if I did this?"

"Absolutely".

He reached behind her and unclasped her bra, and then rolled her on top of him.

He pulled her top off over her head and she quickly shed her bra.

She started unbuttoning his shirt and kissing his chest with each button.

He rolled them again and sat up and quickly took his shirt off. She undid her pants while he undid his belt buckle.

When they were both naked, he climbed on top of her again, and kissed her passionately.

She ran her fingers through his hair as he kissed her.

They were both lost in the kiss, and completely oblivious to what was going on around them, when the phone rang.

"This better be good".

She reached over and picked it up.

"Hello? Oh, hi Max. Yeah, he's right here".

"Hello?"

"Mr. H., sorry to bother you, but Kristin called and she wants you to call her right away. She says it's an emergency. She says the number is 940-3187".

"Thanks Max".

He hung up and then climbed off Jennifer.

"What is it?"

"Kristin. She called the house and said it was an emergency. I have to call her".

He quickly dialed her number.

"Hey, it's me….well, that's unfortunate….no, I can't come over and help you with that…..because I just can't….call a plumber….yes, I'm serious….ok, well good luck with that…..goodbye, Kristin".

He hung the phone up.

"What is it this time?"

Jennifer was under the covers. He pulled the covers back and climbed under there with her.

"Her toilet is clogged, and she's afraid if she plunges it, it will hurt the baby. So, she wants me to come plunge it. I said no, and she said she was going to call her attorney and get him to call mine and make me come do it".

They resumed their lovemaking, and then fell asleep together afterwards.

He held her as they slept, while it stormed outside.

***Two weeks later***

Jonathan still hadn't found a house. He and Jennifer had looked pretty much every day, but every time he found one he liked, Kristin vetoed it.

He had agreed to be out of his house in 5 days.

Jennifer was at work. She was due to interview Elliott Manning this afternoon for the first time at 3.

She had just gotten back from lunch when Jonathan called.

"Hello, this is Jennifer Edwards".

"Hi darling".

"Hey you. I was just thinking about you. How's your day going?"

"Well, I just had a meeting with my attorney. He suggested that I move into your place until I can find a place that she agrees to, but she's going to have to agree to your place too. He was thinking that since it's a ground floor apartment with no stairs, she won't be able to say no to it".

"I'm fine with that. But Jonathan, I know I haven't said much when she's disrespected you at your house, but I will not do the same in my home. If she's rude, I'm either going to let her have it, or she's going to leave".

"I understand. I will have my lawyer impress upon her lawyer that no rudeness will be tolerated".

"Thank you. When do you want to move in?"

"As soon as possible. I will call her lawyer and see when she wants to come check out your place. And either way I'll see you tonight, for dinner".

"You still have a key, right?"

"Yeah".

"Good. I'm meeting Elliott for the first time at 3, so if you get there before me, just make yourself at home".

"I love you, I'll see you tonight".

"I love you too".

She left around 2:30, and got to Elliott's office around 3.

She walked in and headed for his secretary's desk.

"Hi, I'm Jennifer Edwards, with the Los Angeles Times. I have an appointment with Mr. Manning".

"Right away ma'am".

She got up and disappeared into the office behind her.

A moment later, she emerged and motioned for Jennifer to come with her.

Jennifer walked in and found him sitting at his desk.

He was handsome, with a full beard and goatee, and piercing green eyes.

"Hi, I'm Jennifer Edwards, of the Los Angeles Times".

"Hello, I am Elliott Manning. I know it's not relevant at the moment, but I'm an Aries".

"I see. Well, it's nice to meet you".

They shook hands and then he kissed the back of her hand.

"You are the most beautiful reporter I have ever had the pleasure of being interviewed by".

"Well, thank you".

He led her to the sofa.

"Make yourself comfortable. Would you like a cocktail?"

"No thank you. I'm fine".

"Well, I'm ready whenever you are".

He told her all about how he built his business. He started with a couple hotels and then bought out struggling ones and grew his empire slowly. Along the way he added restaurants, nightclubs, and he acquired a lot of stock in a very profitable telephone company. He also purchased a few marinas.

"And now, Manning Industrial Enterprises has 42 hotels, 6 marinas, 10 restaurants, and 3 casinos."

"Impressive".

"My birthday is April 14, I've never been married, don't have any kids and my favorite singer is Johnny Mathis. I've also been told that I'm good with my hands".

"I see".

"There's just one question left".

"Oh? What is that?"

He scooted closer to her.

"Where shall I take you to dinner tonight?"


	33. Chapter 33

"Mr. Manning, I-"

"Please, call me Elliott".

"Elliott. I can't have dinner with you, because that would be unprofessional of me. And also, I'm involved with someone."

"Well, what can I do to change your mind?"

"I'm afraid that you cannot".

"Well, how am I supposed to get to know you better? I mean, that's not really fair, you get to learn all about me, but I don't get to learn anything about you?"

"The point of us meeting is so that you can be featured in the Lifestyle section of our paper. It's not a date".

"Well, like I always say, Rules are made to be broken".

"I tell you what. You seem to be very distracted by me. So, I'm going to give you the list of questions that I was going to ask you. You can answer them, and then call me at the Times when you are finished and I will send someone to pick them up. And then I will write the article and send you a copy when it's finished".

She handed him the list of questions and then stood up.

"Now, not so fast. You just got here. Sit back down, relax, stay a while".

"No thank you, I must be going. Here is my card, please call me when you are finished with the questions".

"Sure thing, baby cakes". He popped her on her right butt cheek.

She glared at him and then left his office.

She headed straight back to the Times and headed straight to Olivia's office.

"How important is it that I interview Elliott Manning?"

"Very. The owner of the Times specifically asked for it. Why?"

"He just crossed the line, and in a big way. I feel so nasty, I swear I need a shower".

"What happened?"

"Well, he complimented me. And I was like 'How nice, thank you". He kissed my hand. I was sketched but I could handle that. He made himself a cocktail, and then told me how he built his fortune. And at the end, he started telling me when his birthday was, other personal details about him, how he's been told he's good with his hands, and then he asked me where I wanted to go to dinner. I told him we couldn't go to dinner, that I'm involved with someone and that it wasn't professional. He started pouting about how he can't get to know me if we don't go to dinner, and how it's not fair that I get to know about him but he can't know about me. I told him the point of this was for him to be in the paper, that it wasn't a date. He told me that he always breaks the rules. So, I told him that I was sorry he was so distracted by me, and that I was going to give him the written copy of the questions, and that if he called me when he was finished answering them, that I would send someone to get them. When I stood up to leave, he slapped my butt cheek and called me baby cakes".

"Oh my. Well, I tell you what. When he calls you, let me know. I'll be the one who goes and picks up the questions, and I'll be sure to make a point of telling him that this is a business arrangement and nothing more".

"Thank you".

She gave her a quick hug and then headed home.

Jonathan was there waiting on her.

"Hi".

"Hi. Have you been waiting long?"

"No, not at all".

"Good". She kissed him and then headed to change clothes.

She came out of the bedroom in a pair of black linen pants, a light green metallic knit top, and some black sandals.

"Where do you want to go to dinner?"

"How about that new Mexican place up the street?"

"Sounds good to me".

"Oh, and before I forget, Stanley, my employee, he dug up a lot of research on Elliott Manning. Here it is".

He dug out a large folder from his briefcase.

"Thank you". She put it on the counter and they headed out.

He drove her to Los Curaches, and they were seated immediately.

She ordered the taco salad and he ordered the chicken chimichangas and rice and beans.

The waitress brought their margaritas and she took a nice long sip.

"Darling, I need to tell you something."

He took her hand in his.

"Whatever it is, it's ok".

"I met with Elliott Manning today, and it didn't exactly go well".

"What happened?"

"Well, he made a pass at me. No, that's not true. He made several passes at me. Actually, I guess you could say that the entire meeting was one really long, pass. At me".

"Tell me what happened".

She told him everything and then she looked at him.

"I got out of there as fast as possible. And Olivia says that when he finishes the questions, she will go pick them up and tell him that his dealings with the Times must remain professional."

"Well, it sounds to me that you handled it well. Are you ok?"

"I just feel so grossed out by it. I mean, he called me baby cakes. Who talks like that? That has to be the worst nickname ever".

"So does that mean I can't call you Baby Cakes?"

"Don't even think about it".

He leaned over and kissed her.

"So, when is Kristin coming to turn her nose up at my duplex?"

"Tonight, 8:30".

"Wonderful. She and Elliott Manning all in the same day".

Jonathan chuckled.

They finished their dinner and then headed back to her duplex.

They came in and sat down on the couch, and Jonathan pulled her into his lap.

"Darling, the next time Elliott Manning tries to manhandle you, please call me".

"For what?"

"So I can come handle him, like a man".

She grabbed his face and kissed him.

"I love you. And I appreciate it. But I don't need you to fight my battles for me. I plan on getting through the interview till the piece is done, and then I don't have to deal with him anymore".

"I don't like the idea of you going back there anymore. And I don't like the idea of anyone thinking you are available".

"I told him I wasn't".

"Not that it did any good".

"Jonathan, I don't want to talk about this anymore".

He leaned over and kissed her a few times.

The phone rang, so she reached over and picked it up.

"Hello? Oh, hello, Elliott. How did you get this number? Oh, I see. Yes, I'm fine. Let's just forget about it, ok?"

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Jonathan got up to answer it.

"No, I didn't get any flowers, but you didn't have to do that…. Oh, I think they just got here. Thank you, that really wasn't necessary….I understand, but remember, I'm involved with someone….Ok, well call me at the office when you complete them and we will send someone to pick them up…ok thank you, goodnight".

Jonathan accepted delivery on Jennifer's 4 dozen red miniature rose bouquets.

He handed her the card.

" _These roses are tiny, but my feelings for you are not. I was serious about dinner, hope you change your mind. Elliott"._

"What did he say?"

"Just that he was sorry, and that he wasn't thinking straight because this morning he had to put his dog to sleep. He wants us to start over with a clean slate, and he promised to not try anything again".

"I see."

She took the roses and tried to find a vase for them and managed to combine two bouquets into one vase. She put one vase on the coffee table, and one on the dining table.

"You're keeping those?!"

"I'm just trying to make it look nice for when Kristin comes over, that's all".

"Darling, I didn't send you those".

"I know that. And as soon as she leaves, I'll let you take them to the dumpster, alright?"

She leaned up to kiss him.

"Fine".

"And darling, for the record, I hate miniature roses".

He smirked and then kissed her again.

She sprayed some air freshener around and then right on time, Kristin arrived.

"Hi, come on in".

"Hi Jonathan".

She gave Jennifer a very cool look.

"Hello".

"Hi".

"Well, this is it. Bedroom and bathroom are through there. Fenced in patio right here, large kitchen."

"And you think this is good enough for a baby?"

"What, you don't?"

"Where's the crib, Jonathan? Where's the changing table? Where's the swing, or the high chair, or the baby monitor?"

"I'm sure we will put the crib either out here or in a corner of the bedroom. But if you are serious about not letting him come here with me, and me having to come to you, then he won't need a crib here, right?"

"That was only for the first few weeks".

"Well, by then, I should have my own place, that is, provided I can find one that you don't veto".

She walked through the bedroom.

"This décor is a little drab, but I suppose it'll do. You'll need to take that ugly painting down, though. I don't like that. I don't want him seeing that. Perhaps you should hire a decorator with taste next time".

"I beg your pardon!"

Jonathan squeezed Jennifer's hand to calm her down.

"And seriously? Perfume out all over the place? Hello, babies grab things. He could grab this, and then put it in his mouth, and you know, DIE".

She picked up a bottle of Jennifer's perfume, and was swinging it around as she talked. It slipped out of her hands and fell into the trash can, spilling the contents completely.

Sensing that Jennifer was getting angry, Jonathan led Kristin to the door.

"Ok, you've seen the place. Now, you can either approve it, or not. I really don't care anymore. In fact, I'm going to look at 3 more houses this weekend. And you can either approve them or not, again, I don't care. I'm probably going to buy one of them, and if you don't approve of it, then I will just see my kid at the park, or McDonald's, or Chuck E. Cheese."

"Jonathan, what do you think this is? We have to co-parent".

"Yes, except you aren't co-parenting. You are co-ntrolling. And I've had enough. So, you can either make the choices for your house, and let me make the choices for mine, or I can sue you in court for visitation, custody, and lowered support. And based on how you treat people, I'm pretty positive I'm going to win. Now, you should go on home, you don't want to miss your lawyer calling you, after my lawyer calls him. Goodnight".

He slammed the door in her face and went back to Jennifer.

She was trying to salvage what was left of her perfume, but it was no use.

"It was Momma's. It was the only scent she wore. It was called Gorgeous Magnolia. They don't make it anymore."

He wrapped his arms around her and held her.

"What did you say to her?"

"I told her that I was done. And that I didn't care if she agreed to this place or not, and that I'm going to look at houses again this weekend, and I don't care if she agrees on one of those either, that I'm done. She countered with the fact that we have to co-parent. I told her I agreed, but the problem is she wants control everything, not coparent. So, we can either agree to worry about our own residences, or I can sue her for custody and lower child support".

"Very good, darling".

"Now, why don't you go take a bubble bath, and I am going to take those roses to the dumpster? I'll be right back, I promise".

She nodded.

She kissed him.

"I love you".

"I love you too. All my heart".

He helped her up off the floor and then headed to the kitchen.

He waited till he heard the tub turn on, and then grabbed a Tupperware container and a spoon. He spooned some of the perfume into the container, and dropped the bottle in as well, and then took the container and the roses to the dumpster.

He came back and started hanging up some of his clothes in the closet. She had cleared one side of the closet for him.

He went and kneeled next to the tub and scrubbed her back for her.

"Oh, that feels so good".

He rubbed her shoulders some for her and then helped her out of the tub.

He handed her a towel and then headed to the bedroom.

"Darling, I cleared out the three drawers on the left side of the bureau for you".

"Thanks, baby".

He had just finished changing into some pajama pants when she came into the bedroom in a nightgown.

"Feel better?"

"Much".

She walked over to him.

"Let me help?"

"I got it, this is the last pile".

"Did you get everything in from the car?"

"Yeah, I did".

"I'm going to lock up".

She went and turned the lights out and locked the doors and then got herself a glass of water and came back to bed.

"Where is Max staying?"

"He's at the house till Saturday. Then he's headed to Vegas to stay with a friend".

She climbed into bed and got comfy, and a few minutes later, he was finished unpacking and climbed in next to her.

"Darling, what time do you have to get up tomorrow?"

"What time do you have to get up?"

"7:30".

"I can do that".

She set the alarm and then reached up and turned out the light.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her.

"I love you".

"I love you too".

She played with his chest hair for a little bit.

She gave him a few chest kisses.

He settled his weight on his side, and she nestled into the crook of his shoulder.

"I love laying like this with you".

"I do too. I could spend the rest of my life holding you and it wouldn't be enough".

She leaned forward and kissed him and let him hold her.

He tenderly made love to her, and then held her as they fell asleep together.

***The next day***

Jennifer was at the office, working, when 2 large bouquets of flowers were delivered for her.

" _Really enjoyed meeting you yesterday, wish more women were as beautiful as you. Hope you are having a good day-Elliott"._

Both bouquets were white carnations and white miniature roses with purple heather and baby's breath.

She dug for the other card.

" _Can't wait for our professional relationship to expand beyond the office-Elliott"._

Jennifer took the bouquets to the lounge and left a note that said anyone who wanted them could take them.

She came back to her office, and just as she sat down, the phone rang.

"Hello, this is Jennifer Edwards".

"Hi, this is Domonique- Elliott Manning's secretary. He asked me to tell you that he's finished with your questions and that you can come pick them up any time. Also, he wants to know when you want to schedule the second part of the interview-he thought maybe you would want to spend a day with him at the office so you can see how he works?"

"I will send someone to pick up the questions. I will have to get back to you on when to schedule the second part, because my editor will have to approve everything."

"Yes ma'am".

"Thank you. And please tell him that I appreciate the flowers, but that they really weren't necessary".

"Yes ma'am".

They hung up and she headed to Olivia's office.

She filled her in on the phone call and what his receptionist said.

"It turns my stomach to think of having to spend an entire day with him".

"Ok, so I tell you what. I'll go pick up the questions, and I'll schedule the day, and I'll send someone with you. Surely he won't make any moves with someone else there".

"Great idea! And tell Domonique to pick a day when he has lots of meetings. The less downtime, the better".

"Good plan. I'll keep you posted".

"Thank you for doing this".

"You're welcome".

About an hour later, Olivia was back.

"Here are your questions. You are scheduled to observe him in two days, from 9-12. Two meetings, back to back. He said that he wants you to come to his office after that so he can get some feedback from you. It's too bad that you will have to hurry back here for an emergency staff meeting". She winked at Jennifer.

"What else did you say to him?"

"I told him that we appreciate his business and that we think of it as exactly that-business. Our interactions with him, regardless of what title the person on staff here holds, will always be strictly professional and never personal".

"Thank you. You have no idea how comforting it is to work for someone so supportive".

"And you have no idea how comforting it is to have someone work for you who puts their all into their work, no matter what".

"Well, thank you".

She spent the rest of the day going through the information that Stanley had given Jonathan.

Around 4, she called his office.

"Darling, what was the name of the marina where your boat was?"

"Where I had it checked out, or where it was when it burned?"

"Either one".

"I had it checked out at BoatBoys, and it was at Harbor Marine when it burned".

"Darling, I don't know how to tell you this."

"What is it?"

"Elliott Manning owns both of those places."


	34. Chapter 34

"Does it tell you when he purchased it?"

"It does. He purchased BoatBoys 2 years ago. He purchased Harbor Marina the week after the boat race in San Francisco".

"Interesting".

"Very".

"Darling, I know I said I didn't want you to meet with him again, and I know that you said you could handle it. And it's not that I think you can't, because I know you can. See if you can meet with him again and get him to talk about his marinas. See if he drops any nuggets of truth."

"You think he was responsible for your boat being burned?"

"I don't know. I don't want to say he's involved, but I definitely think he knows more than he should".

"Ok, well I have to meet with him in a couple days and observe him at the office, so maybe we will get a chance to do that".

"Wonderful. I have a meeting that's about to start, so I'll see you at home. Want me to pick up dinner?"

"No, I'm cooking for you tonight, and that's that. I love you".

"I love you too".

She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone.

She did a little more work and then headed home.

***Duplex***

Jennifer came in and changed clothes, and then started on dinner.

She decided to make Shrimp scampi and a chopped salad.

She had just finished cooking when he came in through the door.

"Hi darling".

"Hi honey".

She leaned up and kissed him a few times.

"Dinner is almost ready. You have time to change if you want".

"Perfect, I'll be right back".

He came back a few minutes later and set the table and got them both drinks.

They sat at the table and ate.

"This is amazing, darling".

"Thank you".

"So, what was your meeting about?"

"Well, I'm buying a small company. It's a little electronics company out of Colorado, known as Rocky Mountain Electronics. I have a meeting Thursday morning to finalize the deal. Word on the street is a competitor is going to show up also, so it could turn into a bidding war."

"I see. Do your meetings usually turn into a bidding war?"

"Not usually. It has happened, but not very often".

"How are things on the Kristin front?"

"Surprisingly calm. I think once I kicked her out of here and stood up to her a little, she realized that she should back off some. And she has".

"Great".

He helped her do the dishes after they were done eating, and they spent a relaxing night by the fireplace, watching a movie.

***Two days later***

Jennifer arrived at Elliott's office for the meetings.

"Well, if it isn't the most beautiful woman in any room. Come on in, gorgeous".

"Elliott, I don't mean to seem ungracious, but we agreed to keep things strictly professional".

"Fine, fine. We are going to be meeting in the conference room. If you go see Domonique she can show you where it is and get you all settled."

"Certainly".

Jennifer headed to the conference room and grabbed a bottle of water along the way.

She was seated and ready when he walked in.

"As soon as the other participants get here, we will start. Do you have any questions for me?"

"Not just yet".

She leafed through the papers that Domonique had given her on the meeting's agenda while she waited and made a few notes in her notebook.

A few minutes later, the people he was doing business with showed up.

"Hi, pleasure to see you again. Please, have a seat".

She listened to them chat and exchange pleasantries for a few minutes.

"We are waiting on a competitor. He should be here any moment".

A few minutes later, the competitor came in. It was Jonathan.

She had a look of shock on her face and then she subtly shook her head to tell him not to mention that they knew each other.

He sat down in the only seat available, next to Jennifer.

Elliott started the meeting and introduced everyone.

"And this beautiful lady to my left is the gorgeous Jennifer Edwards, of the Los Angeles Times. She is observing me for an in-depth article of sorts that she's doing on my company."

He started the meeting and she sat back and listened to them negotiate. Jonathan subtly reached under the table and patted her leg a few times.

She was very impressed listening to Jonathan negotiate. In the end, he won the deal, and the company was sold to him instead of to Elliott.

Jennifer quickly wrote a love note and discreetly slipped it into Jonathan's pocket.

Elliott was so mad about losing the deal that he stormed out of the room and canceled his next meeting.

Domonique came and found her.

"Mr. Manning has decided to discontinue business for the rest of the day. He will call you to reschedule the final part of the interview".

"Thank you".

She and Jonathan walked out together and he walked her to her car.

"I have to get back to the office. I'll see you tonight, I love you".

"That was pretty sexy the way you negotiated in there, Mr. Hart. Hope I get to see that happen again sometime".

She leaned up and kissed him a few times, and then whispered in his ear.

"When you get to the office, check your pockets".

She got in her car and left.

Elliott was in his office, watching her on the camera.

"So she's involved with Harty Boy, is she? Well, we will see how long that lasts".

***Saturday***

Jennifer was sleeping and Jonathan was growing more and more impatient. He had a surprise and he couldn't wait to show it to her.

Finally, around 8:30, she woke up.

"Good morning, darling".

"Morning"

She gave him a kiss and then headed to get some coffee.

"How long will it take you to get ready?"

"Less than an hour".

"Great. I have a surprise for you, and the sooner you get ready, the sooner you can enjoy it".

She turned and embraced him.

"I love your surprises".

"You do? I'm so glad".

After a long hug, she went and got ready.

An hour later, they were walking out the door.

He put a blindfold on her in the car.

He laced his hands through hers as they drove along.

About 20 minutes later, he stopped the car.

"Ok, we are here".

"Can I take this off yet?"

"No, not yet."

He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Stay there, I'll be right back".

He got something out of the trunk, and he brought it around to her side of the car.

He opened the car door and helped her out.

"Ok, now just stand right here."

"Jonathan, when can I take this off?"

"In a minute, I promise. Ok, I'm going to pick you up and then set you back down."

He did exactly that.

"Now just trust me, baby. I got you, ok?"

"Ok".

He gently leaned her back, and then began to wheel her forward.

"Jonathan what is going on? Am I on a dolly?"

"Yes, and we are almost there. Hold on".

He wheeled her to where they were going and got her in place, and then helped her off.

"Ok, you can take off the blindfold".

She took it off and found herself looking at a boat.

"I bought a boat. She's all mine. She needs some improvements, of course, but she's mine".

He took her hand and led her onto the boat and showed her everything.

She loved seeing him so giddy about it.

"So, what do you think?"

"I love it. And I love that you love it."

"I do love it. And I can't wait for you and me to get on board and go out to sea and just float for a few days".

"Sounds wonderful".

"So, there's a boat race that my company is starting. It's going to the be the first annual. All proceeds are going to go to the orphanage. It's in 2 weeks. Want to go with me? We are sailing from here to Hawaii".

"Yes, absolutely".

"So I figure the race will take about 2 or 3 days, and then we can spend a few days on the island, and then sail back".

"Wonderful. I hope my boss lets me have the time off".

"I tell you what. I'll call and hire you specifically to write a cover story on it".

"You have the best ideas".

She squeezed his chin and then kissed him.

They spent about an hour on the boat just relaxing and enjoying the sun, and then headed back home.

"Want to go with me to look at a house today?"

"Yes, I do".

"Kristin is coming too. I told her to meet us there at 3."

"Perfect. Let's get there at 2:15, darling".

"You got it".

***Later that Afternoon***

Jonathan and Jennifer pulled up to the house at precisely 2:15.

"Jonathan, this place is absolutely beautiful! There's a pond, and a little bridge, and the perfect space for a little bench. And it's gated and quiet and has gorgeous flowers."

"Yeah, it's even prettier in person than on the listing".

They walked inside and Jennifer fell in love with it instantly.

It was open, spacious, cozy, and exquisite all at the same time. There was a master bedroom downstairs, off the kitchen. There was another master bedroom upstairs, along with 3 other guest rooms. There was a game room and a study, and a library with a curved staircase.

In the backyard was a pool, and a very nice patio. About a ½ mile into the backyard was a small guesthouse.

"What do you think, darling?"

"I love it. But I'm afraid she won't. She's vetoed every place that had stairs so far."

"Well, what if we look at this a little differently? Yes, there are stairs, but you can get a baby gate for when he's here. And you can put his crib in the room right across from yours, and you can put a separate one down here if she wants too. Let's just play her game, darling".

"Good idea".

Just then, Kristin walked in.

"Hi."

"Hi".

"Take a look around and then we'll talk. I have some ideas for this place that I think you'll approve of".

She looked around and then came back downstairs.

"What are your ideas?"

"Well, we are willing to put a baby gate on the stairs, when he's here. Top and bottom, if necessary. And we thought the bedroom upstairs to the right on the right would be best for his room, but we could also put a crib down here as well".

"I'm fine with that. What about the pool-are you planning on putting a fence up around it?"

"I will, once he's walking. But I'm also planning on getting an alarm system that chimes when the doors open. He won't be going outside without one of us".

"Good idea. Ok, I have no objections, provided you do all of those things".

"Thank you".

She left, and Jonathan found the realtor and purchased the house.

He walked Jennifer to the car and opened the door for her.

They drove back to her house and parked.

They came inside and sat on the couch. It was starting to rain outside.

"What do you want for dinner?"

"I want to take you somewhere special for dinner".

"Oh? Where is that?"

"It's another surprise. But this time, you get a hint".

"Oh good. What is it?"

"Above the city".

She snuggled up against him and thought about her hint.

After the rain stopped, she went to get ready.

"Darling-casual. No heels".

"Ahh, the mystery deepens."

He went and changed into a pair of jeans and a short sleeved button down shirt, and some tennis shoes.

She changed into a pair of skinny jeans, some tennis shoes and a blue and gray ¾ sleeve top with the Vassar and Smith logo.

She switched purses to a crossbody, and then she was ready.

He drove them to the destination, and when they got there, she couldn't believe her eyes.

"The State Fair?1? Oh, I love the State Fair".

They walked in and started walking around. It was almost dark, so everything was starting to light up.

"What do you want to do first?"

"Oh, I don't know. I'm not a fan of roller coasters, but I'll go on one if you go with me. I do like the Ferris wheel, though".

"I don't like roller coasters a lot myself, but I can tolerate the Ferris Wheel."

They held hands as they walked through.

"So, what's your favorite part?"

"The arcade games".

"Mine too".

They turned down and aisle and headed towards the water race games. A few minutes later, he had beaten her and won her the cutest little stuffed monkey.

Next was the basketball game. She beat him by 3 points, and won an adorable stuffed rabbit.

They headed to the Ferris wheel next and were able to climb right on.

She leaned back against his chest and laced her fingers through his as they began to ride to the top.

"Welcome to Above the City, darling".

"Oh, I get it. Very clever".

As soon as they got to the top, it stopped.

He kissed her passionately and romantically, and cradled her head in his hands.

Suddenly, they heard an announcement.

"The Ferris Wheel is stuck, going to be about 35 minutes before we get it fixed. Sorry folks".

"So, we get to spend some time up here".

"I guess so".

"Want to make our Gondola rock?"

"Jonathan! We can't do that, someone might see us".

He chuckled at her.

"Besides, what would we do later, when we got home?"

"We could do the instant replay".

"You are impossible".

They spent most of their time in the gondola making out and enjoying the alone time.

Finally, the Ferris Wheel started moving again. They were all let off and refunded their tickets because the Ferris Wheel was closing.

They played a few more games and then bought caramel apples to take home.

"Darling, I saw where they had these new things this year called Sinballs. Want to split one with me?"

"What is it?"

"Cream cheese, wrapped in dough, deep fried, rolled in butter, sprinkled with powdered sugar and dusted with powdered chocolate".

"No thank you, I prefer my waistline to stay this size".

The line for the Sinballs was at least an hour long, so they headed elsewhere.

Jonathan bought a fried turkey leg, and Jennifer bought chicken on a stick.

For their final game, they played the game where you swing the mallet and make it hit the bell. Jennifer tried hard and got it about 4 inches from the bell. Jonathan gave it his best shot and hit the bell.

"And the gentleman did it on his first try, so he gets the top prize, any of the large animals".

"Whatever she wants".

Jennifer picked a stuffed giraffe that had a red heart between it's front hooves.

Jonathan grabbed a deluxe funnel cake and they headed home.

As they drove home, she leaned against his shoulder.

"There was one thing I've always wanted to do at the fair but I didn't see it tonight".

"What's that?"

"That thing where you get to see the bearded lady, or the lady with two heads".

"You want to see that?!"

"Yes. Not the kinds of things you get to see every day".

"People who put that kind of thing on display are demented. My favorite thing that we didn't do tonight was the funhouse".

"You like the funhouse?"

"Yeah, it's kind of fun to try and get across the spinning floors".

They came inside the house and Jennifer headed to change into her nightgown.

Jonathan was right behind her, and changed into his pajamas.

After she was changed, she walked over to him and embraced him.

"Thank you for my surprise darling, I absolutely loved it".

She leaned up and kissed him.

"It was fun, wasn't it?"

He gave her another kiss and they headed to the living room to watch TV.

He grabbed his deluxe funnel cake and a fork.

"Want a bite?"

She shook her head.

"Are you sure? One teeny tiny little bite won't inflate your waistline".

"Ok fine. Teeny tiny".

He fed her a bite and could tell she loved it.

She ended up having a few more bites and then pushed it away from her.

"No more".

He put the rest in the fridge for the next day and came back to snuggle with her.

"Darling, I can't quit thinking about Elliott Manning".

He turned and gave her a suspicious look.

"No, I don't mean like that. I mean what I uncovered. Why would he torch his own marina? Especially with your boat in it-I mean he had to know that the owner of the boat, even if he didn't know it was yours, would be looking for some sort of settlement. It just doesn't make sense".

"Not much he does makes sense, darling. He has a reputation for putting his businesses up for sale only because he's in a bind. As soon as he gets the cash and bails himself out, he gets in another bind."

"So, you're saying that he torched his own marina for the insurance money? But darling, it was ruled an arson. And he didn't get any money for it because it was ruled an arson. His insurance company is settling with yours over the boat, but his company isn't paying him for anything else".

"I guarantee you, he was hoping that they wouldn't discover it was arson".

"Well, they did."

"Then, I'm afraid that means that he's going to be even more desperate for cash."


	35. Chapter 35

***Monday***

Jennifer and Olivia were meeting in her office.

"Jonathan's employee Stanley researched Elliott Manning for me. And I hate to say it, but I don't feel like I can honestly write this article about him in glowing terms after what the research uncovered."

"Well, he hired us to write about his company, so that's all you are doing."

"Which one? The ones he's running into the ground? The ones he torched? Jonathan's boat was in a boat race in San Francisco. It was when we weren't speaking. He was the captain, and I had been assigned by the Chronicle to cover it, and work on a boat during the race. I was assigned to Jonathan's boat. It was hard at first, but it led us to where we are now, thankfully. Anyways, about 30 minutes into it, Jonathan's boat broke down. The sails snapped and the steering column broke in half. So, long story short, we got towed into a marina and then he had his boat taken to a marina that could repair it. Two weeks later, the marina and his boat, were burned to the ground. Total loss. So, unless this is going to become a factual piece about the Hotel company itself, I don't see how I can do it".

"I am totally fine with you focusing only on his hotels. I will approve that".

"Perfect. So, I will meet with him one more time, and write the piece, and then it will be done, and hopefully I won't have to see him again".

They went over a few other work details, and then Jennifer headed back to her office.

She had a busy couple of weeks coming up-she was covering a fashion show, doing several interviews with local chefs, and she and Jonathan had tickets to the Healthy Food, Healthy Bodies Fundraiser this weekend. Plus, next weekend was the boat race. She was filling it all in on her calendar.

She called Elliott's office.

"Hi Domonique-This is Jennifer Edwards. I need to schedule one more interview with him-an hour, max. Does he have anything today?"

"He has one appointment at 5."

"Ok, I'll take it".

"Thank you".

"Thank you".

She hung up and called Jonathan.

"Hello?"

"Hey, you busy?"

"Not at all."

"Good. So, I had a chat with Olivia. I told her I didn't think I could honestly and objectively do the Elliott interview anymore. She told me that it was ok if I wanted to just focus it on his hotel company and not dig much deeper. So, I'm going to do that, get it done and then be done with him".

"Sounds like a plan".

"So, that means I'm meeting with him at his office at 5. I won't be home till about 6:30 or so".

"Call me if you need me. And stay on your toes, baby. If he gives you a hard time, just leave. I'll assign Stanley to research his hotels and get you whatever you need for the article, ok?"

"If it comes to that, it's a deal. I'm hoping that if I stay firm tonight, he won't push the plate".

"I love you, baby. Do me a favor-tell Olivia where you are going, and if the meeting runs over an hour, call one of us?"

"I love you too, honey, and I promise you, I'll be just fine".

She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone.

She spent the rest of the afternoon preparing another list of possible questions to ask him and then headed to his office around 4:30.

***Manning Hotels***

Jennifer arrived at 4:50, and walked inside.

"Hi Domonique, I'm here to meet Elliott".

"Yes ma'am. He asked that you read through this first, and then head up to the top floor when you are finished."

"Thank you".

She took the stack of papers from Domonique and stepped over to the lobby couches and sat down and began to read.

It was nothing but copies of other articles about him, mostly written by his board of directors praising him for a business move.

Although she found it highly ostentatious, she also found it quite helpful, because she was able to find the answers to all of her questions in those pages.

She pulled out her laptop and started typing up the article. After 15 minutes, she had a really good rough draft.

She walked over to Domonique.

"Is there a printer somewhere that I can use to print this off? It should only be a couple pages".

"Certainly".

They walked into an office off the lobby and a few minutes later, her article was printed.

"Perfect. Thank you so much, you've been most helpful".

"You're welcome, ma'am".

She took the elevators to the top floor and expected to see an expansive business office.

Instead, she realized when the elevator doors opened, that she was stepping into Elliott's living room.

She looked around and didn't see him.

"Elliott? It's Jennifer Edwards. Are you here?"

"In here."

She followed the sound of his voice.

"I just brought by the rough draft of the article. I'll wait for you out here in the living room".

"No, no. Don't do that. Come on in here-this won't take long".

She lingered near the door and looked around his room. It was the absolute tackiest room she could ever recall being in. There were steps on either side of the bed that led up to a hot tub with a waterfall in it. The bathroom was somewhere behind that. The ceiling was covered in large mirrored tiles.

All of a sudden, soft jazz music started playing and Elliott was standing at the top of the staircase in a short silk robe.

"Oh no. This is not happening. I told you, we had a strictly professional relationship".

"Forget that. I figure a little dancing, a little wine, and before too long, we will have a completely different type of relationship."

"That's not going to happen, Elliott".

She moved to go out the door, but he was faster than she was and he shut the door, locked it with a key, and dropped the key in his pocket.

"Elliott, come on. Let me have the key".

"Just relax, Jennifer. I won't hurt you. I promise you, it will be an experience you will never forget."

"Elliott, I'm not experiencing anything with you".

He grabbed her hand and led her up the stairs.

"I have an idea. Why don't you come up here and get in the hot tub? I'll make us some cocktails and you can read me the article you wrote".

"I don't want to get in the hot tub, I don't want to read you the article. I want to go home. Give me the key".

"Jennifer, you don't seem to understand. I have had a very emotional week, and I need your company. Now you seem like you have nice manners, so don't make me think otherwise, ok? Just stay a little while".

"Give me the key, Elliott".

***Jonathan***

Jonathan was at Jennifer's duplex. He had just taken his tie off when the phone rang. He picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Jonathan, it's Olivia, Jennifer's boss".

"Hi".

"Hey, did Jennifer make it home yet?"

"No, she didn't."

"She was meeting Elliott this afternoon, and he called to extend it by another hour, and left the message for her to come upstairs to his personal suite. Something about the way she was talking to me about him this morning is bothering me. Have her call me when she gets home, will you?"

"I'll do better than that. I'm going to go get her. Want to come with me?"

"I tell you what. I'll meet you there".

"Perfect. See you there".

***Elliott's suite***

"Give me the key, Elliott".

"Fine, I'll give you what you want, after you give me what I want".

He started to move towards her and she started backing away from him.

She managed to get away from him and lock herself in the bathroom.

"Jennifer, come on out. This is silly, I'm not going to hurt you".

"I'm not coming out till you slide the key under the door".

"Fine".

He slid a key under the door and she grabbed it.

She came out and ran to the door and tried like hell to put the key in the lock.

It wouldn't fit.

"You didn't really think I was going to give you the real key, did you?"

"Elliott, this isn't funny. I want to leave. You are holding me against my will. I could press charges against you for that".

"But you won't. You know you want me. Just admit it".

"What I want is for you to let me out of here. I am not enjoying this".

"And I want you to let me love you the way only I can".

"Never. I told you, I'm involved with someone".

"I know. You are involved with Jonathan Hart. He might have beaten me at business a few times, but I promise you, I've bedded more women than he could shake a stick at".

"You're disgusting."

"Tell me something. How many positions of the Karma Sutra is he good at? 3, 4, maybe? Well, baby cakes, I am proficient in all the positions. There are over 250 of them, and if you let me, I'll be glad to show them all to you. We can even call a few friends to join us, if you want".

"You are a vile, disgusting, moral less pig".

He backed her up till she was against the bed and she fell back.

He started to climb on top of her.

Panicking, she reached over and picked up a vase and conked him on the head with it.

He passed out on top of her.

She pushed him off her and started fumbling in his pockets for the key.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Jennifer! Jennifer, darling, are you in there?"

She ran to the door and unlocked it and found Jonathan on the other side.

She started to cry as soon as she opened it.

He immediately wrapped his arms around her.

"Oh baby, I was just so worried about you. Are you alright?"

"He….he locked me in here… he wouldn't let me go…."

"I'll destroy him".

He walked over to Elliott, who was just waking up. He stood up, very unsteady on his feet.

"Jonashan…what are you doing here…"

"What's your dog's name?"

"What dog?"

"That's what I thought". Jonathan promptly decked him 3 times.

Jennifer ran to Jonathan and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

She nodded.

Olivia suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"What the hell is this place, the Playboy mansion?"

"I was wondering the same thing. An indoor waterfall? Really?"

"Darling, look up".

Jonathan looked up.

"Wow. This has got to be the tackiest place on earth".

"Jennifer, are you alright?"

She came over and hugged her.

"I'm fine. You're sweet to come check on me. I promise, I'm just shaken up, but I'm ok".

"Who knocked him out?"

"Well, first it was me, then it was Jonathan".

"Speaking of knocking him out, we should probably go. Something tells me he won't be in the mood for company when he wakes up".

"Good point".

Olivia pulled a notepad out and started writing on it.

"What are you doing?"

"Just leaving him a note to tell him that he can consider his subscription canceled because the Times doesn't do business with predators".

They took the elevator downstairs and walked to the receptionist's desk.

"Domonique, do me a favor please. Erase my contact information from all of Mr. Manning's address books".

"Certainly, ma'am".

They headed to the parking garage.

"Well, here's my rough draft of the article. You can do with it what you wish".

Olivia took it from her and promptly tossed it into a trash can.

"Wonderful idea".

Jonathan walked Jennifer to her car.

"I'm going to follow you home. I love you".

"I love you too, I'll see you at home".

20 minutes later, they were home.

***Duplex***

They came inside and she set her stuff down and kicked her shoes off.

He took her in his arms and just held her.

"I'm ok, Jonathan".

"I know. I'm so glad".

He poured them both a cocktail, and they sat down on the couch.

"Darling, tell me what happened".

"Well, when I got there, Domonique said he wanted me to look through a book of pages. And they were all about him-accolades for this business venture or that business venture. The strange thing was, they were all written by his board of directors".

"That's because nobody else will have anything to do with him".

"So, it was actually helpful because I had brought along some questions with me and I was able to get them all answered while I leafed through that ego book of his. So I quickly typed my article, Domonique helped me print it, and then she told me that he had said I could just come upstairs to the top floor. So, I got up there expecting to see a top floor office, like your office floor. When I realized it was his home, I yelled for him and he yelled back for me to come to him. I realized he was in the bedroom, and I told him I would wait for him out in the living room. He said no, that he would be right out, and then the music started, he was standing there in that hideous robe, and he was trying to get me into the hot tub. I locked myself in the bathroom, and told him I wasn't coming out till he put the key to the door under the bathroom door. He slid it under there, and I came out and ran to the door. It was the wrong key, so he taunted me and started telling me what he had planned."

"Was it more than I think it was?"

"Darling, if I did everything he was planning, I would need penicillin! There aren't enough days in the week to do everything he wanted".

"So then what?"

"Then he started chasing me around the room, in an intimidating sort of way, and I was telling him to give me the key and then he backed me up and I fell on the bed and he climbed on top of me, and I grabbed the vase and hit him. Then I got the door unlocked, and you were there".

He rubbed his hands up and down her back.

"I swear to god if I ever see him again, I will pound him into dust".

"He knows that you and I are together. I don't know how, I didn't tell him anything about us. But when I reiterated to him again that I am unavailable, he said "I know. You're seeing Jonathan Hart. He's beaten me in business a few times, but I've bedded more women than he can shake a stick at. I can love you way better than he can. And he asked me a very disgusting, very personal question about our sex life".

Jonathan's lips were pursed, like they always were when he was angry.

"I called Lt. Gray with the LAPD on my way home, darling. I told him that he had held you against your will and tried to coerce you into bed. I was honest and told him that you had hit him in self-defense, and that I had punched him a few times out of anger. He said that unfortunately, since he didn't physically harm you, it's your word against his, and no charges can be filed. If he tries to press charges against you for hitting him, it would be ruled self-defense".

"And you?"

"He's my poker buddy. He would tell him that it was his word against mine".

She grabbed his hand and kissed his knuckles a few times.

"Honey, I want you to know something. Even if I hadn't been able to knock him out and open the door, there's no way I would have let what he was wanting to happen actually take place. You are the only one in my heart".

"You don't have to explain that to me, darling. I know you. I love you. I know you wouldn't have done that".

He gave her a sweet kiss.

"Are you hungry? Why don't we order dinner?"

"You can. I don't have an appetite".

"Now darling, you have to eat. I hate to see you like this. It wasn't your fault and you are ok, and that's all that matters".

"I love you so much".

She kissed him a few times, and then got up and headed to change into her pajamas.

She came back and agreed to order dinner with him.

Their dinner came shortly after that, and she managed to eat about half of it.

They snuggled on the couch, and she fell asleep on his shoulder.

He woke her up when the news came on and they headed to bed.

He climbed into bed next to her and turned out the light.

Once the lights were out, he could feel her sort of open up some. She started trembling.

"It's alright, darling. You're safe now".

"I've never been so scared…"

"I know. Try not to think about it".

He kissed her forehead a few times.

"Want me to hold you?"

"Of course".

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.

Neither of them moved, all night long.

***The next morning***

Jennifer got up and got a shower when her alarm went off. Jonathan got up and started the coffee.

He brought her some when she stepped out of the shower.

He stepped in behind her, and in half an hour, they were both ready to walk out the door.

He could tell she was a little jittery, which was to be expected.

"Darling, if you need me, I want you to call me, ok? Tell Deanne it's an emergency, and she will come get me no matter what".

"I'll be fine, honey. Thank you".

He walked her to the car and kissed her goodbye.

"I love you. See you tonight".

"I love you too. If you hear from Elliott, call me".

A few kisses later, she was headed to the Times.

***Los Angeles Times***

Jennifer walked in and sat down at her desk.

Olivia came in to see her.

"Hi. How are you this morning?"

"I'm fine. I'm trying not to think about it, honestly".

"Well, I just wanted you to know that if you feel you need to be at home today, I'm fine with it."

"Thanks, but really, I'll be ok. Listen, did Jonathan talk to you about hiring me to do an article on the Hart Industries boat race?"

"No".

"Well, he said he was going to. He just bought a new boat, and next weekend, his company is having a boat race to benefit the orphanage that he grew up in. It's from here to Hawaii. So, he wants me to come with him, and he said we would sail there in a few days, spend two days in Hawaii and then sail home. And he wants me to cover it for the paper. So, I'll be gone for two weeks".

"Certainly".

"Thank you".

"This just arrived also. Can you go to this grand opening tonight, and cover it for the paper tomorrow?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"A new restaurant, down on 5th. It's called By the Bucket".

"Sounds interesting".

She left the office then, and Jennifer picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, Hart Industries, how can I help you?"

"Hi Deanne, it's Jennifer. Can I speak to Jonathan please?"

"Certainly. One moment".

He picked up a few minutes later.

"Hey, everything ok?"

"Yes, everything is fine. I was just wondering if you would let me take you to dinner tonight".

"Sure. Any dinner with you is sure to be a good time".

"Wonderful. I have to cover the restaurant's grand opening for the paper, so come hungry and be prepared to sample a lot of dishes".

"You got it".

"Olivia approved the two weeks off for the boat race, darling".

"Wonderful. Well, the marina called me today and said that only minor upgrades were needed to the boat. And my insurance company called and said Manning's insurance company finally paid up".

"Splendid. Maybe things are finally going to go our way for a bit. I better let you get back to work".

"Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm positive. I love you".

"I love you too. See you tonight".

She hung up the phone and worked the rest of the day, pushing any and all thoughts of Elliott from her mind.


	36. Chapter 36

***A week later***

Jonathan and Max were all settled into the new house. Jennifer had been spending a lot of time there, after work.

She hadn't heard from Elliott since the incident in his suite.

She was at the office, working on her latest article when her phone rang.

"Jennifer Edwards, LA Times".

"Hi. You busy?"

"Not terribly. You?"

"Yes, actually. I'm trying to figure out who I can have dinner with. I'm looking for a gorgeous redhead, who was born in Maryland, and who actually happens to work at the LA Times. Can you direct me to her? Oh, and this part is non-negotiable. She has to be the most beautiful woman on the face of the planet".

"Whatever it is you want, you got it".

"Dinner, tonight? I'll pick you up at 6:30? It's a business dinner. And I'm sorry, but we have to go back to that By the Bucket place we went to last week".

"Oh, that's alright. I loved that place. 6:30 is fine."

"I just know you will impress my business contacts tonight, and I'm so glad you are going with me".

"Darling, your business contact-it's not…"

"Baby, I promise you, I am not now nor in the future doing business with Elliott Manning. And if I find myself doing business with him, I will pull out of the deal immediately. You have my word on that".

"Thank you."

"Well, Deanne just told me that my meeting is about to start, so I have to go. I really do love you, darling".

"And I really do love you".

She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone.

The rest of the afternoon was pretty busy. Jennifer called to confirm her tickets to the fashion show, only to find out that it had been pushed back a month.

She called to do a phone interview with a local charity, but they had no record of the arrangements and refused to speak to her.

She decided to just push everything out of her mind and type up her latest article-her review of By the Bucket.

She turned up the radio and started typing.

A few minutes later, Olivia was knocking on her door.

"Hi, remember me? Your boss, who's office is right next door….where I can hear your music shaking the walls".

Jennifer cracked up.

"I'm sorry. I'll keep it down".

"Are you ok?"

"Just trying to zone out and focus. The fashion show I was supposed to cover was pushed back a month. The charity that I was supposed to interview on the phone didn't have any record of that and they refused to speak to me. I have a date with Jonathan tonight, so I just want to be in a good mood".

"Oh? Where's he taking you now?"

"You remember last week when you asked me to go to By the Bucket and cover the grand opening? Well, that's the article I'm writing right now. And that's where we are going tonight".

She walked over and started reading the first page.

"Sounds like a good place".

Jennifer finished her article and then headed home to get ready for her date with Jonathan.

***Jennifer's Duplex***

Jennifer came in and quickly changed clothes. She decided on a black floral cold shoulder tunic, some black metallic skinny pants and black peep toe wedges.

She poured herself a glass of wine while she waited for him.

She heard the knock on the door and ran to open it, expecting to find Jonathan.

Instead, it was a FedEx man.

"Package for Jennifer Edwards".

"That's me".

"Sign here, please".

She signed for the package and then grabbed her wallet to tip him.

Jonathan came in just then.

"Hi darling".

"Hi honey. I missed you".

She gave him a couple kisses.

"Ma'am, where would you like this?"

She turned to see the delivery man holding a large package.

"Oh, over there against the wall is just fine. Thank you".

She turned to Jonathan.

"Darling, do you have any cash? I need to tip him and I'm all out".

"Certainly".

Jonathan tipped him $10 bucks.

"Thank you".

"Have a nice day, ma'am".

She shut the door behind him, and then picked up the package.

She unwrapped it to find it wrapped in "Happy Birthday" wrapping paper, with a large card taped to the front.

She opened the card.

" _My darling Jennifer-I found this in the gallery in Germany and immediately thought of you. I know I'm a little early, but I wanted to make sure you got it in time. Happiest of birthdays, my sweetheart. I love you-Pa"._

"How sweet. I wonder what it is".

She unwrapped it and found a gorgeous watercolor painting, of a girl in a canoe at sunset. The girl had red hair and there was a white horse off to the side, on the shore.

"It's absolutely beautiful".

"Yes, it is".

"Darling, can you please carry it and put it on my bed? I'll hang it when I get home tonight".

"Certainly".

He laid the painting on the bed and then came back. She was cutting out a section of the wrapping paper and putting it in the card.

"Shall we?"

"We shall".

He locked her door for her, and then opened the car door for her and helped her in.

He gave her a short synopsis of who they were meeting for dinner.

"We were in the Navy together. He and I have worked on a few projects together over the years. He is an electronics whiz. I think he wants to ask me to hire him."

"Interesting".

They were almost to the restaurant when his car phone rang.

"Hello?"

He chatted for a few minutes, and then hung up.

"Ok, so By the Bucket is slammed, and it's a 2 hour wait. So, instead, we are going to the Captain's Table".

"Wonderful. I've heard great things about that place".

"With you as my date, it has to be a great place".

He kissed the back of her hand and squeezed her fingers some.

***Captain's Table***

They pulled up and parked and went inside.

The couple they were meeting was waiting for them by the hostess stand.

"Darling, this is Evan Brownstone, and his wife Michelle. Evan, Michelle, this is my girlfriend Jennifer Edwards".

"Hi, it's lovely to meet you both".

The hostess told them it would only be about 5 minutes before their table was ready.

Jennifer studied them. They were older, late 40's. She was strikingly beautiful, and appeared to keep herself up with regular maintenance.

He was handsome, but reserved. He had dark hair like Jonathan's, but his shoulders weren't near as broad.

They were shown to their table, and Jonathan pulled Jennifer's chair out for her.

"You see that Evan?! Respect. He respects her, plain and simple. She didn't have to ask him to pull her chair out, he just did it".

Michelle yanked her chair away from the table and sat down in a huff.

The waitress appeared and took their drink orders.

"How about a bottle of wine for the table?"

Everyone was agreeable to that.

The waitress only brought three menus, so Jonathan and Jennifer scooted closer to each other so they could share.

"You see that Evan? He's sharing the menu with her. That's what sharing looks like".

"Michelle, knock it off."

"Don't tell me to knock it off! You used to respect me, and now you don't. Maybe you forgot what that looks like. Perhaps you need to go to the eye doctor".

"I have no problem seeing you".

Jennifer and Jonathan were uncomfortable but trying to make the best of it.

They finally stopped arguing when the waitress brought their wine.

Jennifer tried to make small talk with Michelle, but she could tell she wasn't in the mood.

Jonathan and Evan tried to talk business, but Evan seemed distracted.

The waitress came back and took their order.

Evan tried to order for Michelle.

"No, I don't want that".

After she placed her order, it was Jonathan and Jennifer's turn.

"We are going to split a bucket of crab legs, with boiled shrimp, mushrooms, onions, and corn, and 2 steamed lobster tails. Plus, a small side salad, with California dressing".

"Evan, you see how he knows what she wants to order? He pays attention to her. Watch him do that. Learn from it. Take notes, even".

"Well, in Evan's defense, she and I did talk it over first. I'm not a psychic, honest".

"Michelle, what will it take to make you happy? You say all the time we never get to go out. I got us a babysitter, we are out. What more do you want?"

"I want you to pay attention to me. I want you to respect me and do respectful things for me. You and I have grown too comfortable with each other, and I want our relationship to be less comfortable and more exciting".

"After 22 years of marriage and 5 kids, you should be glad we are comfortable with each other!"

Just then, the music started and people were getting up to dance.

"Darling, would you like to dance?"

"I'd love to".

Jonathan took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

"I'm sorry, baby. I had no idea it was going to be like this".

"It's not your fault, darling. I just feel so bad for them, but also for us. It's like you and I are in a display case with our every move being scrutinized".

"Maybe we should reschedule the business meeting and have him come by the office. Maybe if the pressure of business is off the table, then they will loosen up and start enjoying themselves".

"Good idea".

They shared a few kisses as they danced, and without meaning to, they ended up in a dance contest.

"Ok folks, we are going to have a little poll-these three couples on the dance floor have danced the last three songs in a row. So, by round of applause, who do you think is the most in love?"

The vote was unanimous for Jonathan and Jennifer.

"Congrats, folks. You two win a special treat from your waitress".

They headed back to the table.

Evan and Michelle were being very quiet.

"We apologize for how we behaved-we should have kept our fight to ourselves".

"It's ok, don't worry about it. These things happen".

They managed to get through the rest of the dinner without any more arguments, but Jennifer noticed that Evan and Michelle barely acknowledged each other.

After they were finished eating, the waitress brought their treat, which was a free dessert for everyone at the table.

"How lovely".

After they all finished their dessert, Jonathan paid the check and he and Evan agreed to meet tomorrow at the office to have their business meeting.

As they walked to the car, Jonathan turned to Evan.

"You still have your sailboat? My company is having a boat race to Hawaii. Starts this Saturday. You would love it!"

"No, we sold the boat when our oldest needed braces".

"Well, you two must come out on my boat with us sometime. We will have to plan that".

"Yes, we will".

They exchanged pleasantries and then each retreated to their own car.

"Well, that was an interesting evening, to say the least".

"Yeah, it was. But at least I got to dance with you".

He laced his fingers through hers and held her hand like that the whole way back to her duplex.

***Jennifer's duplex***

They came inside and Jennifer immediately kicked her shoes off.

She changed into some yoga capris and a tank top, and then got out her tool box.

"Darling, will you help me with the painting? I just need you to hold the painting up, and then I'll do the nail and all that".

"Where do you want it?"

"Well, I thought I wanted it over my bed. But now, I'm thinking I want it over the couch".

He was looking through her toolbox.

"Darling, you don't have any tools in here. You have a pair of tweezers and 4 screws, and that's it".

"Oh. Well, it came with screws. I have the perfect pair of heels that will work as a hammer".

Jonathan grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him.

He kissed her a few times and then picked up her phone and dialed Max.

"Max? Hey, can you please bring my tool belt to Jennifer's? And make sure it has a hammer in it….yeah, I think she would like that. Ok, see you soon".

He hung up the phone.

"Max will be here in 15 minutes".

"Jonathan, you didn't have to do that. I hate for him to get out this late".

"This late? Darling, it's Max. He's the king of the all-nighter. He probably invented the phrase. I promise you, he's just fine".

They did the measuring ahead of Max getting there, in hopes that it wouldn't take too long to hang it when he did.

Jennifer was on the step ladder, with one hand on the painting, and drawing a line with the other when Max knocked on the door.

Jonathan ran to get the door. On his way back, he accidentally hit the ladder with his foot, causing Jennifer to fall back and him to fall on the ground. He stood up in time and caught her in his arms as she fell, dropping the painting onto the couch.

"You alright?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah".

"Aren't you two cute".

"We are, Max. We certainly are".

He kissed her and then set her down.

He and Max hung the painting for her.

"Miss Edwards, I brought you some of my famous chicken noodle soup. It's in the freezer".

"Thanks, Max".

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"You got any other jobs for us manly men here around the house?"

"No Max, that was it".

"It's a beautiful painting, Miss Edwards".

"Thank you. My father sent it to me for my birthday".

"Today's your birthday?! Well happy birthday".

"No, today's not my birthday. It's next week, on the second".

"Oh, well happy early birthday".

"Thank you, Max".

"Well, I guess I'll head back home. See you two later".

"Night Max".

"Night Max. Thanks for your help".

Jonathan closed the door behind Max and came to help Jennifer put the couch back against the wall.

She came over and embraced him.

"Thank you for helping me, honey".

"Anytime, baby".

"Do you want to stay the night?"

"I was planning on it".

"Good. I hate it when you aren't here".

She leaned up and kissed him and then went and made her salad for lunch tomorrow.

After she was done, she was going through the mail.

There was an envelope from the owner of the duplex.

"Damn! Damn, damn, damn!".

"What is it?"

"The owner of the duplex is selling. He's giving us 30 days to vacate. And I'm frustrated because I finally have this place like I want it".

"Well, what if you made him an offer to buy it?"

"That's a good idea. I do have some money my mom left me that I could tap into, depending on the asking price".

She put the mail back on the counter and turned the lights out.

She went and sat next to him on the couch.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"I forgot to thank you for dinner, honey. We will have to go back there sometime".

"You're welcome. And yeah, we will, it was delicious".

He wrapped his arms around her and she rested her head against his arm.

"How many more innings is this game?"

"Probably one more".

As soon as it went into extra innings, she got up and went to wash her face and get ready for bed.

He came and joined her in bed when the game was over.

She snuggled up to him as soon as he climbed in bed.

"Darling, what do you think happened that made Evan and Michelle so miserable with each other?"

"I don't know. I imagine they probably focused on the kids instead of on themselves".

"Promise me we won't ever do that".

"Do what?"

"Get comfortable with each other".

"Jennifer, I'm already more than comfortable with you".

"No, no no. I mean, I want us to be comfortable. That's important. I just don't want us to just be comfortable."

"I promise you, that you and I will never just be comfortable".

"Thank you".

She kissed him a few times.

"You know, as uncomfortable as it was that they were fighting the whole night, I'm kind of glad we got to see it".

"You are?"

"Yeah. Think about it, darling. She pointed out to him that you pulled my chair out for me. I love that you do that. She pointed out that we were sharing the menu, and I love that too. Plus, seeing two people absolutely miserable with each other makes me appreciate our happiness even more".

She kissed his chest and played with his chest hair.

"Tell me about the boat race".

"Well, once we get going, I will flip the sails to electric. And I figure you and I can enjoy the seas during the day, and then at night, I'll anchor and we can focus on each other".

"And when we get to Hawaii?"

"Well, it will take them two days to get the boat cleaned up and gassed up and the batteries recharged. So, while we are waiting, I figure we can check into a resort and enjoy the beach and then sail back home. We can also stock up on groceries for the way back".

"I'm so excited. I can't wait to be on the boat with you".

"I had them put a new mattress in the bedroom today, and it's bigger than the old one".

"How much bigger?"

"It went from an extra long twin to a queen size. And I had them put it in a pocket, so it won't take up as much space. And I had them put a deadbolt on the door that leads down below, for safety".

"Honey, do you think that maybe…we will drive each other crazy with all that time at sea and no one else to talk to, nowhere else to go?"

"You drive me crazy? Darling, it's what I'm counting on".

He rolled on top of her and kissed her.

They had mad, passionate sex before they fell asleep together.


	37. Chapter 37

***Day of the Boat Race***

Jennifer's alarm went off at 5 a.m. Jonathan had stayed at her house because it was closer to the marina.

She rolled over to turn it off and gave him a quick kiss.

"Morning darling".

"Morning."

He sat up, with a very happy look on his face.

"It's boat race day!"

They got up and got ready and had everything packed and ready to put in the car in about an hour.

"Darling, Max should be here any second to take us to the marina. Can we go in your car?"

"Yes, that's fine".

They got the car all loaded and then Max arrived to drive them.

"Mr. H., are you sure you don't want me to go with you? That's a long journey by yourself".

"It's fine Max. All the boats are going to anchor together at night, and besides, there's only one bed on the boat. You have fun, Max. We will be just fine".

He dropped them off at the marina, and Jennifer was surprised to see Stanley running around like crazy trying to organize everything.

Jonathan was not.

"Darling, are your employees in the race?"

"I don't think any of them entered. Stanley, the research guy I told you about is the one in the glasses. He's going to be in charge of starting us off. My other assistant, Adam Hayes, is flying to Hawaii and he will be there to declare the winner."

Jennifer and Jonathan got the boat all loaded and set up. They had everything they would need for a week's stay, from clothes to food and everything in between.

Jennifer was getting everything organized, while Jonathan was getting the two-way radios set up.

He met with the other competitors and went over the rules.

"Ok, that's it. We leave in 15 minutes. Stanley Friesen will start us off with a gunshot precisely at 8 a.m. Have a good race!"

Jennifer got the sails ready, while he primed the engine. Pretty soon, they were all lined up in a row, ready to take off.

As soon as she got the sails adjusted, she tied them down and went to go stand with Jonathan.

He put his arm around her as he steered the boat around some of the other boats.

"This is such a beautiful view".

"Such great sailing weather too".

She moved in front of him and leaned back against him. He put his arms across her shoulders and she reached up to hold on to his arms.

She looked to the left and studied the other race participants.

Far off in the distance, she caught a glimpse of something. She felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach.

"Darling, look to your right. All the way, somewhere around 2 o'clock".

He slowly turned to look.

"I don't see anything, baby. What was it?"

"Not what. Who".

"Seriously?"

"Well, there's always a chance I'm wrong, but it sure looked like him".

"Well. If he comes closer, let me know."

They alternated with him steering, and her laying in the sun, and then her steering like he told her to and him sitting down and taking a break.

Finally around sunset, they stopped and anchored. Jonathan was ahead, but not by much.

He grilled them some steaks and corn on the cob on a portable grill, and they relaxed and listened to the waves at night.

She leaned back against him, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I love this".

"You do?"

"Yeah. Being here with you, just you and me, no Kristin distractions, no office distractions, nobody else to disturb us, the ocean, the peacefulness. It's just what you and I needed".

"I agree. And there's nobody else I would rather spend it with".

Around 9, while he was checking the anchor and locking down the boat, she went downstairs and got things ready for them to go to bed.

He came downstairs and found her rummaging through her suitcase.

"Darling, can you do me a favor?"

"Certainly".

"Stand here in the middle of the room, and say my name loud. Then count to three, and say it again. Keep counting to three and saying my name loud till I come back down here, alright?"

"Alright".

She felt a little silly but she did as he requested, and finally, about 10 minutes later, he came back.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

"Great job, you passed the test".

"Excellent. So, now can you tell me why I did that?"

"Well, I was upstairs locking down the boat and I noticed that some of the other boats had linked their boats together. So, I was trying to make sure that if someone did that to this boat, that they wouldn't be able to overhear any secrets being told between you and I".

"Secrets? Like what kind of secrets?"

"Like how much you love me and how you can't get enough of me for starters".

"Jonathan!"

She kissed him a few times.

"That isn't a secret".

"Well, the good news is, I couldn't hear you, so nobody else can either".

He opened the tiny window at the top of the hallway, and the tiny window in the bathroom, so they could have some ventilation.

Jennifer came out of the bathroom in a soft pink spaghetti strap short nightgown with lace edges, and a pink robe to match.

Jonathan had turned on a fan in the corner for her.

He quickly changed into his pajama shorts and climbed into bed next to her.

"This is so cozy down here".

"Yeah, it is, isn't it? Kind of like a little hideaway".

"So where do you think we are in the race?"

"I think we are ahead, but I think the others are closing in on us. But that's ok. As long as everyone races fairly, and has fun, that's all that matters to me".

He wrapped his arm around her and held her close.

"You did good today-thanks for helping me and coming with me".

"You're welcome. And I didn't really do anything".

She leaned up and kissed him.

"Do you ever think about living on a houseboat?"

"No. But I do think about you and I buying an island sometimes and just moving there".

"Max wouldn't like living on an island, darling. No poker. No horse races".

"Yeah, that's true".

"Do you think we bother him, darling? I mean, if we are encroaching on his space, you can always spend more time with me at my place. I don't have to come to your place all the time".

"Darling, he absolutely adores you, more than I do probably. I told him back when you and I weren't speaking that I had really messed up and that I didn't know how to fix it because you were the best thing that ever happened to me. And he looked me dead in the eye and said "She's the best thing that ever happened to us". You are the only woman I've brought home that he has ever said that about".

"He's so sweet and I love how he takes care of you".

They chatted till she fell asleep. He leaned over and kissed her forehead and then fell asleep holding her, thinking about how lucky he was to have her.

***The next morning***

Jonathan woke Jennifer up at 5:30, and they got dressed and went upstairs to the deck.

He quietly drew the anchor in, and she quickly got the sails in position, and they quietly motored their way forwards.

By Jonathan's calculations, this put them ahead by about an hour or two.

Jennifer tied the sails down, and went downstairs and made them coffee, thanking God for electric coffee pots. And for houseboats with electricity.

She brought him his coffee and stood with him a little while he was steering the boat.

"How much farther do you think it is?"

"We should be there by sunset tomorrow".

"Wonderful".

They sailed all day without any complications, and finally stopped at sunset and anchored for the night.

There weren't any other competitors around.

They grilled their dinner again that night, and just relaxed with each other. The sky was clear and you could really see the stars.

Jonathan showed her the different constellations and pointed out different stars to her.

"When did you become so knowledgeable about the stars?"

"I took an astrology class in college. It was actually my favorite class".

He leaned back against her and she rubbed his chest for a little bit and kissed his head some.

They finally got up and went downstairs to bed.

She put on a black short nightgown and climbed into bed.

He climbed into bed next to her and she snuggled up to his chest.

"We aren't going to get much more alone time before the baby comes".

"Yeah, that's true. Hopefully, we can still get some after he is born. I predict that she will want me to watch him more and more after he's born so she can still go out and party".

"Darling, what if you offer her 50/50 custody? Like a week with you, a week with her? I'm sure Max and I can help out, and that way you and I will know that we will get a week of alone time all at once, every other week".

"That's a wonderful idea. I will suggest it, for sure".

He rolled on top of her and wrapped his arms around her.

"You know, people get rewarded for good ideas".

"They do? What kind of reward is it?"

She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Well, in this case, it's lots of mini rewards all inside a big reward".

"Interesting".

"Here's your first mini-reward".

He leaned down and kissed her.

"I hope there's many more where that came from".

"Nope, sorry. Just the one".

"Jonathan!"

"Ok, ok. You win. The reward is hugs and kisses every day for a year".

"Well, thank you. I'll be sure to collect".

He leaned down and gave her a very passionate kiss, one that seemed to go on forever, with no plans of stopping.

"I love it when you kiss me like that".

"I promise to do it every day that you'll let me".

He pulled her nightgown straps off her shoulders and kissed his way to her bellybutton as he tugged her nightgown down her body.

She ran her fingernails across his back and down the sides of his rib cage.

He moved his kisses to her neck.

"Baby…we want this to last, right?"  
"Oh yes".

"So, if you do that thing with your nails much longer, it won't".

"Got it".

She grabbed his face with her hands and used her tongue to part his lips for a very exhilarating kiss. It was the kind of kiss that made her forget where she was, that ignited her insides, that made her feel alive.

He reached down and started tugging her panties down.

She lifted her hips to help him out.

He quickly pulled her panties off her legs, one at a time. After he was done, he slid off her and took his pajama shorts off and then climbed back on top of her.

He suckled her nipples for a few minutes, as she gripped his shoulders and moaned loudly.

He expertly joined their bodies together and they began to rock their hips in synchronous motion.

"Oh baby….yes…just like that…"

"You feel so good".

"Jona…..than….oh yes….."

"Ba….by…."

He took them both over the edge a few times, and they just let their bodies enjoy it.

"That was fantastic".

"Yes it was".

He kissed her tenderly as he held her, and she lightly rubbed his back.

"I really do love you".

"And I really do love you".

He gave her a quick kiss.

"I love you love you".

She chuckled.

"I love you love you too".

"I love you till infinity".

"I love you till infinity plus a day. So ha. I win".

"You're right. You win it all".

"What's my prize this time, sailor?"

"Me".

He rolled on top of her and they went for round 2.

***The next morning***

They were up and at it again, early. It was their final day in the contest. Jennifer was so ready to be off the boat.

Around 1 p.m., she saw a boat approaching them from behind. It was still a good ways out.

She got out the binoculars and took a look.

She got up and walked over to Jonathan.

"Darling, I just took a look at our friend coming up. It's Elliott".

"Well, if we keep doing what we are doing, we will beat him for sure. I don't think he can catch us".

About 2 hours later, he told her they were very close.

"We are only about 4 mile markers away".

She adjusted the sails, and within about 30 minutes, they could see the marina, and the finish line.

There were two other boats very close to them.

Jennifer could hear the man on the loudspeaker.

"Here come the first participants into the marina. And the winner is…#12! Looks like #12 is owned by Mr. Jonathan Hart of Los Angeles, California!".

Jonathan pulled them into the marina and everyone was cheering for them.

Jennifer tied the sails down and ran and hugged and kissed him.

"I knew you could do it. I'm so proud of you".

"I couldn't have done it without you".

They shared a few kisses and then he helped her off the boat and they went to go take pictures with the race company and accept the award.

About an hour later, Jennifer headed back to the boat while Jonathan headed to get some dry ice and rent them a car.

Jennifer was downstairs packing when she heard footsteps above her.

Thinking Jonathan was back, she headed upstairs.

"Darling, is that you?"

She came up the stairs and turned to see Elliott Manning standing on the boat.

"Hello baby cakes".

"Hello Elliott".


	38. Chapter 38

"What are you doing here, Elliott?"

"Well, I came to offer my congratulations to the captain. And I wanted to check out the boat that beat me. And I brought you these, your favorite". He held out a dozen white miniature roses for her.

"Well, Jonathan isn't here, so you'll have to come back another time. And I appreciate the sentiment, but I can't accept those".

"Oh? Hart-y boy doesn't allow you to get flowers from someone else?"

"I don't allow myself to. And by the way, those aren't my favorites".

He turned away from her and started walking back and forth.

"This really is a nice boat. I love the cherry hardwood deck. Very sleek and regal".

"I'm sure Jonathan appreciates your compliment".

"You know, if you want to have a better time going home, you should come on my boat. I can show you the most wonderful time you'll ever have".

"No thank you, I'm happy where I'm at, and who I'm with".

"Well, if you change your mind-"

"She won't."

Jennifer looked past Elliott to see Jonathan on the boat.

"Jonathan! Great to see you! Congratulations on winning the boat race. I brought you a bottle of champagne".

"Thank you".

"How did you do it? Was it the sails, or the engine?"

"Skill and ingenuity".

Jonathan came and set the cooler of dry ice down.

"Well, I appreciate you stopping by, Elliott. We have a lot to do though, so we can't exactly entertain right now."

"You know, Jennifer and I were reminiscing just before you got here. I know that she remembers our lovemaking just as fondly as I do. Best night of her life, I bet".

"I beg your pardon!"

"Leave her alone, Elliott".

"And then I was telling her what a nice boat this is. I love this deck-cherry, right?"

"Yes, I think so".

"Well, this is a nice boat. Nicer than mine. I'm a better sailor than you, but you have a better boat. That must be why you won, the boat".

"Ok, well thank you for stopping by".

Elliott went to hand the bottle to Jonathan, and it slipped out of his hands, crashing on the deck of the boat.

A piece of the glass bottle hit the end of one of the wood planks, and it popped up.

"Well, would you look at that? The wood just popped up there."

"So it did."

"Looks to me like now, I've popped both your cherries".

Jonathan reared back and punched Elliott about 4 times.

He picked him up by the collar and dragged him off the boat.

"Jonathan, be careful!"

"If you ever step foot on my boat again, you will have a burial at sea!"

Jonathan dragged him all the way to the end of the dock and gave him to a security guard.

"He was trespassing. Keep him away from all the boats that aren't his".

"Yes sir".

He walked back to his boat, to find Jennifer sweeping up the glass.

"Darling, are you alright?"

"I'll be fine. Are you ok? Did he touch you?"

"Not at all. I'm fine".

They got the champagne cleaned up and then they headed downstairs to pack.

She made him an ice pack for his hand.

"Jonathan, I know what he said. But it wasn't true. He and I never made love, at all. We never did anything at all".

"I know that. It's ok. I'm sorry you saw me lose control like that, darling. But he just infuriates me when he makes rude remarks about you, like you are his sexual conquest or something".

"Darling, I love that you want to protect me from him. I just worry that it's going to escalate".

"Well, after the punches I just gave him, I don't think it will. What did he say before I got here?"

"He complimented the boat, and then he said if I wanted to have a better time on the trip home, I should ride with him, that it would be unforgettable. I told him I was happy where I'm at and who I'm with, and that wasn't going to change. And then you showed up".

"Well, I promise, he won't bother you again. Now, what do you say we pack this food in dry ice, and put it in the fridge? Then we can get our clothes and head to a resort for a couple of days".

"I say yes, let's. And tonight, we will properly celebrate your win".

She leaned forward and kissed him, and then leaned down and kissed his hand.

An hour later, they were at the Wanalei resort.

***Wanalei Resort***

They checked in, and Jennifer headed for the showers. She couldn't wait to take a hot one.

Jonathan came in while she was in the shower.

"How about a walk on the beach and then a late dinner?"

"Fine with me. How about you come in here and soap my back?"

He stepped in the shower and soaped her back. Soaping her back led to soaping other things, and the shower took longer than they anticipated.

They held hands as they walked along the beach, and then had a late dinner overlooking the harbor.

"I should call my father and tell him you won. He'll be thrilled".

"Yeah, I should call Max. He probably had a bet riding on it".

They were walking back through the lobby and people were stopping them to congratulate them.

The desk clerk overheard this.

"Mr. Hart-I have a message for you".

"Thank you".

He took the message and read it.

"It's for you. Your dad called".

"Oh, he must have called your house and spoken to Max".

They went up to their room, and Jennifer went to the phone first thing to call him back.

"Hello Pa? It's Jennifer".

"Hi sweetheart! I called your apartment and spoke to a man named Max. He said you were in Hawaii".

"Yes, we are. I'm here with a friend. We had a boat race from Los Angeles to Hawaii, which we won. I had my phone calls forwarded to my friend's house, since I don't have an answering machine".

"Splendid! Who is Max?"

"He's kind of like our Walter".

"Well, he raved about you. Very nice man. And I just wanted to tell my favorite daughter Happy Birthday. Where I am, it's 1:15, so that means it's your birthday".

"Well thank you".

"Do you feel older?"

"No, I don't. And I loved the painting by the way. I hung it up in my living room, and it's just gorgeous."

"You're welcome, darling."

"Well, I guess I will see you at Thanksgiving."

"I can't wait. And Pa, I might bring a friend with me".

"That will be wonderful. Any friend of yours is always welcome in our home".

He yawned.

"Well, I better let you get to bed. I love you Pa".

"I love you too, sweetheart. Happy birthday and see you soon".

"Thanks, see you soon".

She hung up and turned to see what Jonathan was doing.

"Darling?"

"In here".

He was in the bathroom, getting ready for bed.

She went to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"Honey, do you want to go with me to Thanksgiving at my father's?"

"I would love it".

"Yay! As soon as we get home, I'll get us tickets".

"Or we could take my plane".

"Wonderful. So, then as soon as we get home, I'll make arrangements for a rental car".

"Or, we could use my car service".

"As soon as we get home, I'll read a book".

"As long as I get to read it with you".

She kissed his cheek and then headed to the bedroom.

When she stepped into the bathroom to get ready for bed, Jonathan picked up the phone and called room service and ordered some champagne and strawberries.

She emerged from the bathroom in a short teal silk robe.

He was laying on the bed flipping through the channels on the TV.

"Movie or baseball game?"

"Ehhh….movie".

"Movie or tv show?"

"Movie".

"Black and white or color?"

She put a finger to his lips and then lightly kissed him.

"You won the race, you pick. I'll like whatever you pick, darling".

She laid there next to him, scratching his chest and playing with his hair while he found them a movie.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

He got up to get it, and she knelt on the bed, looking to see who it was.

He wheeled the cart with their champagne and strawberries inside and then closed the door.

"From the hotel? They are so thoughtful".

"Yes, I am".

She climbed off the bed and went to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You are so romantic".

He kissed her for a few minutes, and then took her hands in his.

"How about a surprise?"

"Sure".

She smiled at him.

"Sit on the bed, and close, and then cover your eyes".

She did as he said and he went and dimmed the lights. He turned the tv to a music channel playing soft music. He poured them both a glass of champagne, and put a strawberry in both their glasses.

With every room service order, each room received a box of fresh flower lei's.

He grabbed them and put them on the bed.

"Ok, open your eyes".

He was holding two glasses of champagne.

She took one and kissed him.

He walked over and grabbed the lei's and set his drink down.

"Purple, or pink and yellow?"

"Purple".

He put it around her neck.

"You've officially been lei'd".

She collapsed into a fit of giggles on his shoulder.

She took the one in his hands from him and put it around his neck.

"So have you".

He grabbed her face and kissed her a few times.

She took a big drink of her champagne, and then handed it to him to set down.

"Dance with me?"

She nodded.

They danced cheek to cheek and just held each other.

"Honey, I'm sorry Elliott was so ugly to you today. You didn't deserve that. I don't know what it is about me that makes him act so incorrigibly. I just hate he had to ruin your winning the race with his rudeness".

"Darling, none of that was your fault. He deserved me punching him, for sure. I feel bad that he was on the boat with you without me there to protect you".

"It was only for a few minutes".

"After the way he's treated you, one second is too long".

"You know, I never gave you the first present you get for winning".

"Oh? What is it?"

"This".

She leaned forward and kissed him.

"That's for skill and ingenuity".

She leaned forward and kissed him again.

"What was that one for?"

"Me".

They continued dancing, and just when they were going to stop, "In the Mood" came on the music channel.

"Oh I love this song! Jitterbug with me".

He danced the jitterbug with her, excellently spinning her and dipping her at the end.

He sat on the bed and pulled her into his lap and reached over and got their champagnes.

"Cheers".

They clinked glasses and then she leaned forward and kissed him.

"Darling, what's my second prize?"

"You want it now?"

He nodded.

She finished her champagne glass, and set it down.

He handed her his champagne and she set it down as well.

She stood before him, and then took a step back and untied her robe.

Underneath, she was wearing a purple mesh and lace teddy. It had a push-up bra, and boy cut thong shorts, and it was connected with a bow above her navel.

"Holy…."

"You like it?"

"No. I love it. And I love you in it, and especially out of it".

She straddled his lap and kissed him as she put her arms around his neck.

"How on earth did you get into this thing?"

"Now darling, if I told you that, it would take away from the magic…."

"I see. And we don't want anything to take away from our magic".

"No, we don't".

"Can you just tell me what end to start with?"

"Start with the back, like you are undoing my bra, and the rest will just fall into place".

"Oh, I love it when you are mysterious".

They scooted up to the head of the bed, and climbed under the covers.

For the next 4 hours, they had intense, exhilarating, vehement, and fierce sex till they were absolutely and completely exhausted.

They passed out all wrapped up together.

***The next morning***

Jonathan and Jennifer slept till 9, and then he ordered room service for them.

He snuck the phone into the bathroom and ordered a special birthday breakfast with her favorite-French toast, bacon, and scrambled egg whites.

He tiptoed back into the bedroom and put the phone down, and then waited outside the room for it to arrive.

When he came back inside, she was just waking up.

"Happy Birthday".

"Thank you, darling".

"I ordered you a special birthday breakfast".

"You did? You are so thoughtful".

She lifted the lid and saw that it was French toast with rainbow sprinkles, sliced fruit, bacon and scrambled egg whites.

"Yum".

Jonathan grabbed his tray and joined her in bed.

"What did you get?"

"The Hawaiian scrambler. 2 pancakes, bacon, sausage, a 3-egg omelet with everything, hash browns, and biscuits and gravy, with a side of sliced pineapple".

"Darling, are you going to be able to eat all of that?"

"We'll see".

"Honey, when we get home, I want us to start running and working out together".

"You already give me the best workout a man can get".

He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you. But I'm serious. I want us to grow old together, darling. And we won't if you keep eating like that. This is really important to me".

"Ok, you win. When we get home, I'll clean up my diet".

"Thank you".

After they were finished eating, they got ready for a pool day.

Jennifer put on a bright blue ruffle bandeau bikini with ruffled bottoms, and a black halter dress as a cover up.

She had her hair in a ponytail and was putting on her black flip flops when Jonathan came and wrapped her in a bear hug.

He started kissing her neck.

"You are so beautiful".

"Why thank you".

She kissed him a few times, and then they headed to the pool.

They laid out for a few hours, and just enjoyed each other's company.

She ordered a few drinks from the cabana boy, and when he found out it was her birthday, he brought one to her with a sparkling candle in it.

"You know, this Hawaiian birthday is pretty fun."

"Glad you are enjoying it".

"I'm absolutely loving it".

She took a nap around 2, and he finally woke her at 4 so they could go get ready for dinner.

"Darling, what restaurant are we going to?"

"Whatever you are in the mood for, baby. It's your birthday".

"How about hibachi?"

"Great idea".

They stopped by the front desk and found that the resort had its own hibachi restaurant, so Jonathan made them reservations.

Jennifer showered and then put on a purple tube dress, that was very form-fitting and showed off everything perfectly. She wore a strapless push up bra with it, that gave her just enough cleavage.

She paired it with black chunky flip flops.

Jonathan had on khaki pants, a dark green button down shirt, and black flip flops.

She ordered a drink at dinner called a painkiller. They kept bringing her refills, and by her third one, she was toasted.

Jonathan had planned to give her a birthday present when they were at dinner, but she was so drunk he decided to wait. It was special and he wanted her to realize how special it was.

"Darling, what if I told you that instead of boating back home, we are going to fly back home?"

"I would say yippee!" She collapsed into a fit of giggles.

"What's so funny?"

"Everything".

"Ok. Time to say Goodnight Gracie".

"Goodnight Gracie".

"Very good".

He paid the check and led her back to their room.

She was all over him in the elevator, kissing his neck.

They headed down the hall to their room, and standing outside their room, waiting for them, was Elliott Manning.


	39. Chapter 39

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"It's my hotel. Anyways, I just came by to offer to buy your boat".

Jonathan let them into their room and then led Jennifer to the couch and helped her sit down.

"It's not for sale".

"Name your price. I'll pay it".

He turned back to Manning.

"I said, it's not for sale".

"Honey, will you get me some water? Please…"

"Yes, baby. One minute".

He turned back to Elliott.

"Anything else?"

"God she is so gorgeous".

"Thanks, you're pretty handsome yourself".

"Elliott? Anything else?"

"How about a rematch? You, your boat. Me, my boat. From here, to Los Angeles. Winner gets one night with Jennifer".

"Get out".

Jennifer got up and stumbled to Jonathan.

"Honey….."

She practically fell onto him.

"Really, Hart-y boy? You have to drug your women to sleep with you?"

"I said GET. OUT."

"Fine. If you change your mind, and you know you will, you know where to find me".

Elliott left, and Jonathan set about putting Jennifer to bed.

She finally fell asleep a couple hours later and he tried to as well. Unfortunately, he was still so angry with Elliott that he couldn't.

Around 11 p.m., he made a couple phone calls.

It cost him a pretty penny, but he decided it was worth it.

He finally wrapped his arms around her and fell asleep.

***The next day***

Jonathan was up and packed before Jennifer woke up.

He ordered a beverage cart with coffee and some Extra-strength Tylenol from room service.

He was sitting on the couch when she woke up.

"Ohhhhh".

He went over and sat on the bed next to her.

"How about some coffee?"

She nodded.

He got her some coffee and put the pills next to her on the nightstand.

"How about a hot shower after your coffee?"

"Yes, please".

He got up and got her shower going.

After a very-long hot shower, she was starting to feel normal again.

"Darling, I made a decision after everything that happened last night. You and I are flying home. I called my pilot, he will be here to pick us up in about 2 hours."

"What about your boat?"

"I hired a two-man crew to sail it back to Los Angeles and I'm having Stanley track it just in case".

"I see".

"I'm packed, so as soon as you get packed we can go".

"Darling, you said 'after what happened last night'. What are you talking about?"

"We will talk about it later".

She got dressed and packed and they headed out.

She noticed that he was quiet and seemed upset about something.

Two hours later, they were on the plane.

Jennifer reclined her seat almost immediately, and fell asleep.

He waited till about 15 minutes before they were going to land before he woke her up.

"Jennifer….Jennifer….wake up. We are almost home".

"Hmmm?"

"Wake up, we are going to land the plane".

"Oh".

She sat up and laced her hand through his and smiled at him.

"Feeling better?"

"A little."

They landed, and Max was waiting to drive them home.

"Drive us to Jennifer's house, Max".

"No, darling. My car is at your house, remember?"

"Max and I will bring it by later".

"Ok".

Jonathan sat in the front with Max and Jennifer sat in the back alone.

They got to Jennifer's house, and Jonathan took her bags inside for her.

"I'll bring your cooler by later".

He kissed her on the cheek.

"Get some rest".

"Jonathan! You aren't staying?"

"Max is waiting. I'll call you".

He left and closed the door behind him.

Jennifer sat on the couch, dumbfounded.

***The next day***

Jennifer had taken a long nap. When she woke up, she found that Jonathan had been there and left her a note.

" _Here are your car keys. Max had your car washed, waxed, and got you an oil change. I have an appointment tonight from 5-8. I'll stop by after. I love you, Jonathan"._

Around 4, Jennifer ran to the grocery store. She was heading back to her apartment and was at the light, when across the street, she saw Jonathan and Kristin walking, and pushing a stroller.

Another car came up and honked at the car in front of them.

This caused Jonathan to look up. When he looked up, he saw Jennifer.

They made eye contact, and then the light changed and she turned and drove away from him.

***Later that night***

Jennifer was on the couch watching a movie when there was a knock at her door.

She went and looked in the peephole and saw Jonathan.

She opened it.

"Hi".

"Can I come in?"

She nodded and walked towards the fridge.

"Don't you think you've had enough of that?"

She turned and stared at him incredulously.

"No, I don't. That's why I was getting some, thank you very much. I'm a grown woman, I'll have a glass of water anytime I want".

"I'm sorry. I thought you were making yourself a cocktail. I just didn't want you to get sick, that's all".

She headed to the couch and went to sit down.

He sat down next to her.

"Look, I know that you saw me at the intersection with Kristin. It's not what you think".

She stared at him.

He continued.

"I went to talk to her about your idea for 50/50 visitation. And her doctor told her that she needed to walk each day so that he would be ready for birth, and when I got to her, she was heading on a walk. So we walked, and talked. Someone gave her the stroller, so she was testing it out to see if she liked it".

"And?"

"And she didn't agree to 50/50, but she made some very good points. She wants to try breastfeeding, and she's willing to pump and send breastmilk bottles with him to my house. She said that she thinks it's too much to ask of her to pump enough to send a week's worth at a time, and I agree with that. So, if that doesn't work out, we will revisit it."

"And then?"

"And then, I had an appointment, which I told you about in the note I left you".

"With her?"

"No, I went alone. She suggested the appointment, but I was afraid she would get the wrong idea if I asked her to come with me".

"Where?"

"To a new parent's class. They teach you how to change a diaper, how to bathe the baby, how to pick it up, and things like how to check the bottle temperature, things like that".

"You could have asked me to go with you".

"I was going to. But I figured you would be sleeping it off".

"I wasn't".

"Well, I'm sorry, I didn't know that".

"You never told me what happened last night that made you want to leave and come home today".

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes, I do".

"Do you remember laying by the pool?"

"Yes. And I was drinking pain killers."

"And then we went to dinner and you drank some more. And you were completely wasted".

"Ok".

"So, we got back to our room, and Elliott was in the hall, waiting on us".

"How did he find our room?"

"He owns the hotel."

"What did he want?"

"He claimed he was there for a rematch. And he offered to buy my boat. But I really think he wanted to taunt me".

"And?"

"And he said you were gorgeous, and you said he was handsome, and I got my feelings hurt, ok?"

"Jonathan, I don't remember any of that. But if you don't know by now how I feel about you, and how I don't feel about him…"

"I do. I do know. But it still hurt my feelings. You got up and stumbled to me because you wanted some water. He made a crack that I had to drug you to get you to sleep with me and the whole situation just really hurt my feelings".

"Well, I'm sorry. I thought I had made my feelings for you quite clear".

"Jennifer, that wasn't the part that hurt my feelings".

"So, what was it?"

"I don't know. I just always seem to have a lack of confidence where he's concerned. I mean, he makes everything a damn competition. And even though I usually win, I always think I won't".

"Do you feel that way about everything?"

"To some degree, yes".

"I see."

"I can't explain it. It's just something I've always done. Maybe it goes back to the orphanage".

"Well, I know how I feel about you. I know for a fact that there's not a single thing in the whole world that would ever change the way I feel about you. But I can't convince you of my feelings any more than I thought I had already. So, if you don't have faith in how I feel about you, then you need to figure out why that is, and then we have to figure out how to move forward".

"I do know how I feel about you. I love you, all my heart".

"But you don't trust that. And you don't trust what we have. Had I not been wasted last night, would you have gotten so upset? Or would you have realized that I was probably just returning a compliment? Hell, it's possible I thought I was talking to you".

"I didn't think of that".

"Tell me something. Was I hanging on either one of you?"

"You were hanging on me. Well, actually, you were sitting on the couch. Then he proposed the rematch and the prize, and you got up then".

"What was the prize?"

"One night with you".

"I am so sick of being someone's trophy. I don't want to be something that sits on someone's shelf. I want someone who wants to be with me for me, and who doesn't care what others think. Every time you and I and Elliott are in the same place, someone goes stupid. I'm over it. I think you need to take some time and figure out if you truly trust what you and I have. I'm 30 years old, Jonathan. I'm not getting any younger".

She stood up and took her water glass to the sink.

"I'm going to bed. You can see yourself out. And for what it's worth, I love you".

She went into the bedroom and shut the door.

Jonathan sat there a minute, hoping she would come back out. When she didn't, he wrote her some love notes and then headed home.

***The next morning***

Jennifer decided to still take the day off since it was already planned.

She woke up around 8 and came to the kitchen to make some coffee.

The first one she saw was the coffee maker.

"I LOVE YOU… AND YOUR COFFEE" was written on a post-it with a happy face at the bottom. She opened the fridge to get the milk.

"LOVE YOU BABY" on a post-it, on the milk.

She took the post-it off and put it on the counter.

By the time she had made herself breakfast, she had found 4 more post-it's.

She was starting to soften towards him.

She opened the door to get the paper, and on the back of the door was a large piece of paper.

"YOU ARE EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED…..MY HEAD MIGHT BE ON VACATION AT TIMES, BUT MY HEART IS ALWAYS WITH YOU".

She started doing stuff around the house, like unpacking, laundry, and just getting stuff taken care of.

Around 11, there was a knock at the door.

She went to it and found Max on the other side.

"Hi".

"Hi Miss Edwards, can I come in?"

"Always".

He had a box in his hands.

He set it on the counter.

"Mr. H. told me these were your favorites, so I made you some special. White chocolate macadamia nut cookies, just for you".

"Thanks, that's very thoughtful of you".

"And the rest of this is from Mr. H."

He pulled a box of long-stemmed sterling roses out of the bigger box, along with a card, and a wrapped present.

"Well, I was told to deliver it, and I have. So, I'll be going now. You have a good day. And Miss Edwards, if I may-give him a call".

"You may. But this time, the ball's in his court, Max".

She saw him out and then went and opened his card.

"If I could only say three words to you for the rest of my life, they would always be "I love you". Because I do. I always have, and I always will"-Jonathan.

She opened the package to find some new lingerie.

She put everything away, and was just about to take a shower when her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi".

"Hi. Thank you for my flowers and my lingerie and the beautiful card, and the million love notes. When did you do all that?"

"Last night, after you went to bed".

"Well, it was very sweet".

"Are you going to be home all day?"

"Yes, I am".

"Mind if I stop by after work? Say, around 5?"

"If you want to. Up to you".

"I definitely want to. I love you with all my heart, baby, and I know in my heart, I couldn't love anyone as much as I love you".

"That's so romantic. I'll be here when you get here."

"I love you".

"I love you too".

She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone.

She kept herself busy, and then around 3, she took a long bubble bath, and then put on the lingerie he had gotten her.

It was soft pink, satin and lace. One was a strapless teddy, and the other was a spaghetti strap baby doll nightgown. There was also a matching robe.

She put the teddy on, and the robe and then set about making the room like she knew he liked it.

She drew the curtains, lit some candles, and sprayed his favorite air freshener.

She heard him knock on the door right at 5.

She went to open it, and he swooped in and picked her up and kicked the door shut.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately as he carried her to the bedroom.

He set her down on the bed.

They were furiously undressing each other while they were kissing.

They had mad, passionate, mind-blowing sex until they were so tired, they couldn't move.

She snuggled up to him and put her hands on his chest.

"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings, Jonathan. I swear, I didn't mean to. I was drunk. You are the one I love, you are the one I think is handsome. And I'm sorry we fought about it".

"I'm sorry we fought too. I shouldn't have let it get to me. You are the only one I want, baby. I love you".

"I love you too".

"I don't ever want to be away from you."

"I don't want to be away from you either. And I know how to fix that".

"How?"

"Move in with me. Live with me and Max".


	40. Chapter 40

"Move in with you? I can't. Remember, Kristin put her foot down. I'm not even allowed in the house when your son visits".

"I got her to back down on that, remember?"

"Yes, but you didn't get it in writing, darling. And I don't want to do anything that's going to cause you stress where she is concerned."

"Jennifer, she hasn't been to the house since she looked at it the day I bought it. And if she does come by, I won't let her go upstairs. We can do this, I promise".

"Do me a favor. Run it by your lawyer, first?"

"Ok, that's fair".

He started kissing her all over her face and neck.

"How about tomorrow night, you and I have a birthday redo?"

"Oh darling, you don't have to do that".

"I want to".

"Okay. What did you have in mind?"

"There's a business dinner at a lovely steakhouse that's just up the coast about 20 minutes. They always have excellent food and dancing, music, and then I thought we could get dessert and bring it home".

"That sounds fun".

"Great. So we can go do the business thing, and then after, we can come home and do the birthday thing".

He gave her a few kisses.

She started to get up.

"What are you doing?"

"I was going to make us dinner".

"Darling…don't do that. You're tired, you don't want to cook. Let's just have something delivered".

"What do you want?"

"You".

"Jonathan! I'm serious".

"I am too. I want you, all the time".

"What do you want for dinner, dear Romeo?"

"What do you want, my Juliet?"

"How about a pizza?"

"Yes. Guido's, on Mulholland."

"You can place the order. I want a veggie supreme".

He placed their order and then returned his focus onto her once again.

"Darling, I appreciate you taking me to Hawaii. I loved sailing with you".

"You name the place, I'll make it happen".

He gave her a few light pecks.

She snuggled up to him and hugged him tight.

"Honey….what ever happened with our dinner companions?"

"Well, I met with Evan. And he's officially on the payroll. He's in the running for a promotion. I know he can handle the position, but I'm not sure he's been there long enough for me to promote him just yet. And by the way, he and Michelle are supposed to be there tomorrow night, but they aren't sitting anywhere near us".

"How dressy do you want me to be?"

"A nice evening gown will do".

He looked at the clock.

"Pizza's going to be here soon".

They got dressed, and Jonathan got some cash out of his wallet.

Jennifer was putting on the other lingerie with her robe.

She came out to the kitchen to find him fixing them drinks.

"Darling…I have an idea. What if we pick somewhere that doesn't take too long to get to, that we don't really care about seeing and sightseeing while we are there, and we just take a few days and go and find a place to stay and test out the mattress?"

"I love it. And I think I know a place. I have a cabin that's not too far from here, only about a 3 hour drive. There's nothing in the town to sightsee and everyone just pretty much keeps to themselves. It's very far back from the road too, no neighbors for miles".

"That sounds amazing…..you and me, peace and quiet. No interruptions".

"Exactly what I had in mind".

He gave her a few passionate kisses.

There was a knock at the door.

He answered it and paid for the pizzas.

They took the pizzas to bed and ate them under the covers while they watched a movie.

"I love nights like this, just you and me…"

"Yeah, me too".

"I can't wait to show you my father's house next week".

"I'm excited to see it".

She scratched his chest while they watched the movie.

He was yawning and having a hard time staying awake.

She gave him a shoulder rub, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Want to spend the night?"

"Sure".

She eased out from behind him and snuggled up to his chest.

A few minutes later, he was fast asleep.

She reached up and turned out the light, and then eased off him and covered him up.

She kissed him goodnight, and then fell asleep next to him.

About 10 minutes later, the phone rang.

He woke up and grabbed it and handed it to her.

"It's for you".

She took it from his hand.

"Hello? One moment please".

She held it out to him.

"Actually, it's for you".

He sat up and took the phone from her.

"Hello?...Yeah…Mmmmhmmm….Ok, I'll be right there".

He hung up, and rolled over to Jennifer.

He gave her a kiss.

"I'm sorry, I have to go".

"You have to go? Why?"

"Kristin's in labor".

He suddenly really woke up.

"Oh my god, she's in labor."  
"I'm coming with you".

"Darling, I love you, but that's not a good idea".

"Jonathan, it's late. You could be there all night".

"I'll call you and keep you updated, I promise. But if she sees you, she's going to start yelling. And I want my son to be born in as peaceful an environment as possible, because lord knows when we start talking payments and custody, she could make it anything but peaceful".

She walked to the door with him.

"I love you love you. Call me when you know something, ok?"

"I love you love you too. I promise I will. And baby, I am going to be thinking of you the whole time".

He gave her some very passionate kisses and then headed out.

***The next morning***

Jennifer got up when her alarm went off. She had just gotten out of the shower when there was a knock at the door.

She quickly threw her robe on and a towel around her head and went to answer the door.

It was Jonathan. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"Hi. Come on in".

She went and started a pot of coffee and then went to finish getting ready. As soon as the coffee was ready, he brought her some.

"Thank you".

"You're welcome".

"So, tell me everything".

"He hasn't been born yet. They determined that her contractions were pre-term labor and gave her some medicine to handle them. They also determined that she has gestational diabetes and tried to show her how to handle it".

"Bet that was a fun conversation".

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure they could hear her screaming at them down the hall. I tried to leave around 2, once they determined that she wasn't really in labor, but she kept screaming at me. Every time she would scream, his heart rate would fluctuate. So, in the interest of him, I stayed".

"I don't blame you".

"Tonight is our business dinner and your birthday redo. I will pick you up at 5:30".

She leaned up and gave him a kiss, and then headed to the kitchen.

She made him some bacon and eggs and made herself some toast.

"Are you going to the office today?"

"I have a meeting at 9. I think I'll take off the rest of the day after that".

"Get some rest. I'll be home by 3:30 at the latest. If you want to come here and rest and get ready here after, feel free".

She grabbed her things and he walked her to the door.

"I love you love you".

"I love you love you too".

A few kisses later, she was headed to work, and he was headed home to shower.

***Later that afternoon***

Jennifer left the office around 3, and got home soon after.

Jonathan had left her a note that he would be by to pick her up soon.

She took a quick shower and then threw her robe on trying to figure out what gown to wear.

She finally decided on a black dress, with a full waist and a strappy neckline that was woven like a spiderweb. She paired it with a black strapless push up bra and a black lace thong, and her strappy black Manolo Blahnik's.

She was switching purses into her sparkly black clutch when he knocked on the door.

She let him in with a kiss.

"Hi honey. Feel better?"

"Much. You look absolutely magnificent".

"Thank you. You look pretty handsome yourself. Is this dress right for tonight? I have another one that might work better".

He pulled her in for an embrace and started kissing her neck.

"You are the most beautiful woman on the face of the planet, darling. Your dress is perfect, just like you".

A few kisses later, they headed to the dinner.

***BayCoast Steakhouse***

Jonathan pulled them up to the restaurant and parked the car.

He came around and opened her door for her and helped her out.

They laced their fingers together as they went inside.

They quickly found their seats and sat down. They were the only ones at the table. They looked at the place cards to see who they were sitting with.

"Greg Wilkins, Staci Wilkins, Martin Granger, Carol Granger. Do you know any of them?"

"Yes, I do".

Jonathan leaned over to Jennifer.

"Darling, I need you to charm the man on your right. I'm trying to sign a deal with him, and I think if you are charming and can talk me up, he will agree".

"And what are you going to be doing?"

"I'm going to be trying to get the guy on my left to agree to our deal".

"Lot's of deals going on here tonight".

"Darling, that's what these dinners are. Business owners in Los Angeles get together and if we are lucky, we can make several deals in the same evening".

"Interesting concept".

"I know it's going to be boring for you. I promise, if you can help me score a deal, I will buy you something sparkly".

He gave her a quick kiss and then they started looking at their menu.

"The steak sounds good".

"Yeah, but that's a lot. I think I'll just have a garden salad".

"Get what you want, darling. I promise, it's fine".

"Jonathan! The 6 oz steak is $56. We ordered pizza last night, and we just got back from Hawaii. I don't want you to spend all your money on me".

"Jennifer, it's fine. I promise. The company will pay for it, seriously, get what you want".

She finally agreed to get the steak with a salad and a loaded sweet potato.

"Darling, the next time we have dinner together, I am going to cook for you at home, ok?"

"Deal".

Their table mates arrived shortly afterwards, and Jonathan and Jennifer set about trying to charm them into deals with Jonathan.

About halfway through the evening, the dance floor opened up.

The waitress came and took their salad plates and refilled their drinks.

"If you want to dance, now is the time. We won't be serving the entrees till the dancing is over".

Jonathan leaned over to Jennifer.

"Want to dance?"

"Absolutely".

They were the first ones on the dance floor.

"How's it going with Mr. Wilkins?"

"I think it's going well. I keep telling him that you are very knowledgeable and that if he signs a deal with you, you for sure won't regret it. He keeps saying you are his first choice".

"Good job".

"I hope I'm doing a good job. I don't think I'm very good at this".

"You are doing absolutely wonderful".

They shared a few kisses and then Jennifer rested her cheek against his.

She looked over his shoulder, and saw a very curious coupling take place.

"Darling, did you tell me that Evan and Michelle were going to be here?"

"Yes. I'm surprised to see her here though. Supposedly they are separated".

"Well, turn me around and you will see who she is talking to".

He did.

"Elliott. Geez, I am ready for him to move back to Australia".

"Yeah, I am too. I feel like I should warn her, but then again, if he's interested in her and she can hold his attention, it might just keep the heat off me".

"I agree".

Their dance ended, so they went and sat down.

Both men were ready to sign deals with Jonathan.

Jennifer chatted with the women while Jonathan and the men did the paperwork.

After about 2 hours of him doing business deals, he came and found her and they headed home.

Everyone was talking about how great they looked together and how much in love they were.

***Jennifer's duplex***

They came inside, and she immediately kicked her shoes off.

"I had Max come and bring us a special dessert. I'll get it ready while you change clothes if you want".

"Perfect".

She kissed him a few times and then headed to the bedroom to get her pajamas on.

He set about getting it all set up.

"Honey, can you come unzip me, please?"

"Certainly".

He got her unzipped and then returned to the dessert.

"Thank you".

"Welcome".

He had their plates on the table, and candles lit, and her presents on the counter when she came in.

He had taken his jacket off and his tie.

He had soft music playing and the lights dimmed.

"Honey….this is so nice".

"You deserve the best, babe. Because you are the best".

He gathered her lips with his for a kiss filled with so much passion she felt like she was floating.

He pulled her chair out for her.

"Ok, first, we have a triple chocolate pie-chocolate crust, mint chocolate chip ice cream, and a chocolate hard shell on top".

"This is heavenly".

"Yeah, he makes good desserts".

"It was so sweet of him to do this for me".

"He loves you, baby. Just like me. But a little differently".

She chuckled.

After they were finished, he put their plates in the sink and rinsed them.

"Oh, the dishwasher is full. I'll unload it tomorrow and reload it".

He grabbed the gift bags and put them on the table.

She opened the first one, to find a gorgeous diamond drop necklace on a gold chain.

"Oh Jonathan, it's absolutely gorgeous".

He kissed her cheek and then put it on her.

"I love it! Thank you, honey".

"Ok, the next one isn't technically a birthday present. I wanted to get this to you earlier, but there were complications and it wasn't ready till last week".

She reached in the bag and pulled out a little box. It was octagon shaped and printed with a floral pattern.

She opened it and found a folded piece of paper.

She unfolded it and it said "August, next year".

"Darling, what does this mean?"

"Well, the answer to that will be found in this box".

He handed her a bigger white shiny box.

She opened it and looked inside.

"Jonathan….how…..?"

She pulled it out and set it on the table. He had gotten her a new bottle of the perfume that had been her mothers, that had spilled.

With tears running down her cheeks, she took the top off the bottle and smelled it.

"Darling, Hart Industries owns a company called "Chem-O-Cal". They just hired one of the top perfumers in the nation. So, when I took the trash out after she left that night, I spooned some of the perfume into a Tupperware container and I put a few pieces of the bottle in there as well. I took it to him and he was able to figure out the formula and make you a bottle".

She got up and came and sat in his lap and put her arms around him and hugged him tight.

"I didn't mean to make you cry, darling. Honest".

"You have no idea how much this means to me. I simply cannot put it into words. That is the most thoughtful and meaningful gift you could have ever given me and I love you so much, more than anything or anyone in the whole world".

She grabbed his face with her hands and kissed him several times.

"What's the paper for? What does it mean?"

"Well, see at the Chem lab, there are several women who work there. And they got to smell this and they loved it. So, they asked the perfumer if this was a new scent, and when he told them no, they all took a sample and took it home to their family and friends. And the response was overwhelming. So, they came to my office-all 14 of them. And they begged me to release it as a new scent. And after seeing their enthusiasm, I couldn't help but agree. So, it will officially hit the shelves in August. It will be called "Jennifer's Magnolia Blossom".

"You're wonderful".

"Happy birthday, baby. I love you".

She gave him several kisses and then rested her head on his shoulder.

"Ok, now it's time for part 2".


	41. Chapter 41

She got up and then he stood up, and after making sure the kitchen was all cleaned up, he took his tie off the chair and tied it around her like a blindfold.

"Ok, just trust me."

He leaned down and scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom.

He quickly changed into a pair of pajama shorts and then he dimmed the lights and turned on her sound machine.

"Ok, now I'm taking your robe off and you are going to lay on the bed on your stomach".

"Only if you are going to lay there with me".

"I will, don't worry".

She got all comfy, and then he straddled her back, and took some warm massage oil and started to rub her back.

She guided him to all her spots, and he rubbed out all her knots.

After her massage was over, he got a warm washcloth and scrubbed her back for her.

After it was over, she rolled over and pulled him down on top of her.

"I love you, Mr. H."

"I love you, Miss Edwards".

"You made my 30th birthday the most special birthday I ever had."

"You are worth it, darling. You're the most special person I've ever known".

He kissed her passionately and then made sweet, tender, romantic love to her before they fell asleep together.

***Two weeks later***

Jennifer was all packed and ready to go. She was just waiting on Jonathan to come pick her up.

As soon as he got there, he loaded her bags into the car and then they headed to the airport.

"Darling, did you bring a couple of suits?"

"Yes".

"And jeans for riding?"

"Yes".

"And did you bring your slippers? It's supposed to get cold at night-I don't want your feet to get cold".

He laced his fingers through hers and lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed them.

"If they do, I'll just tuck them under you and warm them up".

"Now darling, I told you-my father is very traditional. He is not going to let us stay in the same room".

"Well, then I will just have to sneak back to my room after the panty raid, won't I?"

"Jonathan!"

"I'm kidding. Would you relax? It will be just fine".

"You're right. I'm sorry. It's just, you are the first guy I've brought home to my father in a long time. And I really want this to go well".

"Darling, you are forgetting that I already know your father. It's not like I'm meeting him for the first time".

"I know. I just want it to be the perfect Thanksgiving".

"I will do everything in my power to make it perfect, I promise you".

They arrived at the airport and drove around to his plane.

The crewmen loaded their bags, while he and Jennifer got settled.

She kicked her shoes off and curled up in the seat next to him.

"I hate that Max couldn't come. I just know Pa would love him. Walter too".

"Yeah, me too. But you know how Max loves Vegas".

"Almost as much as I love you".

She leaned up and kissed him and then rested her head on his shoulder.

They spent the flight reading, and napping, and chatting.

Before she knew it, they were there.

She gave him directions to her father's house and showed him things as they drove along.

"Follow the white fence along the left and turn at the green mailbox".

"Got it".

They drove down a long driveway that wound around and eventually found themselves at a house.

"This is it".

"Nice place. Beautiful estate".

"Yeah, it's really gorgeous".

Walter came outside.

"Miss Jennifer, how good to see you".

"Walter, hi!"

She gave him a big hug.

"Walter, this is my boyfriend, Jonathan Hart. Jonathan, this is Walter-Pa's Max".

They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

"Where is Pa?"

"He is reading in the living room. He can't wait to see you".

"Wonderful".

She went inside the house while Jonathan and Walter carried the bags in.

"Pa, are you in here?"

"Jennifer, my sweetheart. It's been too long".

They shared a warm hug.

Jonathan walked into the room.

"Ahh, I see that you managed to work your way back into her good graces".

"He certainly did".

"Nice to see you again, sir".

"Please, call me Stephen".

They shook hands.

"So, I take it that you two are more than friends?"

"Yes, we are. And we are very happy".

"Well, sweetheart, as long as you are happy, I'm happy".

"I'm extremely happy".

Walter came in and told them that dinner would be ready in about 30 minutes.

"Well, I guess we should go upstairs and get ready".

"Jennifer-your room is ready for you, and the guestroom on the other side of the bathroom is ready for Jonathan."

"Got it".

They headed upstairs with their bags and stopped in her room first.

"See, I knew he would be happy to see you".

"Yeah, I'm glad he was".

She went into the bathroom and unlocked the door from his side.

"Darling, here's a tip. Pa won't hear you sneak in here, if you go through the bathroom".

"Got it".

He kissed her and then took his bags to his room.

20 minutes later, they were changed and ready for dinner.

As they sat down at the table, Walter brought their first course.

"Shrimp cocktail, Miss Jennifer's favorite appetizer".

"Wonderful. Walter, you spoil me!"

"It's not often that you come home, sweetheart".

Stephen told them about his art deals while they ate their shrimp cocktail, and then Walter brought in the main dishes.

"We have rainbow salad, with a honey Dijon dressing, and Miss Suzanne's stuffed chicken breasts, and bacon wrapped asparagus".

"Thank you, Walter".

"Looks great, Walter".

"So, Jennifer, this young man was very forlorn when he came to meet with me. How hard did you make it for him?"

"I'll let him answer that".

"Practically impossible".

"Jonathan!"

"I was kidding. We established that we could be friends first, which was the hard part, and then we decided to try it romantically again".

"Yes, that's correct. And our romance really took off when I moved to San Francisco".

"Well, it's wonderful to see two deserving people happy together".

"Yes, we have made it through several hurdles, and have a few more to go. But together is better than anything else".

"What hurdles are you referring to?"

"Well, I found out that my landlord is selling my duplex, so I have to find a new place."

"And, I found out that a previous relationship resulted in the upcoming birth of a child".

"I see. What are you planning on doing about that?"

"All that we have figured out so far is that I am going to take care of my child and still be with Jennifer."

"What about the child's mother?"

"We are working towards a friendly co-parent relationship".

"Son, it takes a big man to take responsibility for a child outside of his current relationship. You have my accolades for not walking away".

"If there's one thing I know about Jonathan, he would never ever abandon a woman with a child".

"I intend to be as present in my child's life as I can be".

"I am glad to hear that, son. And as long as my daughter allows you in her life, you are welcome here too. That also goes for your child".

"Thank you, sir".

After they were finished with dinner, Jennifer tried to help Walter with the dishes, but he wouldn't allow it.

"Go visit with your father, Miss Jennifer. I can handle it".

She came and found them in the living room, talking about whether or not JFK's shooter had actually been arrested.

Jennifer sat next to him on the couch and linked her arm through his.

Jonathan and her dad talked for about an hour, and then her dad announced that he was heading up to bed.

"I will see you two at breakfast in the morning. Sleep well".

"Night Pa".

"Night Stephen".

He left them on the couch as he headed to bed.

"What do you want to do now? We have some games we can play, we can play cards, we can watch a movie".

"How about a movie?"

"Perfect. The only Tv where we won't disturb Pa or Walter, is up in my room".

They turned out the lights and headed up to her room.

After they were both changed for bed, Jennifer put the movie on, and they settled into bed.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her till she fell asleep.

When the movie was over, he turned the tv off, and kissed her cheek.

"Goodnight, I love you".

He tiptoed back to his room and headed to bed.

***The next morning***

After breakfast, Jennifer and Jonathan went riding.

She picked Magnolia, a golden Arabian, and he picked Butterscotch, a light brown thoroughbred.

They rode for a long time, and she showed him the riding trails she used to take all the time.

They got back to the house just before lunch.

"Hey you two. Have a nice ride?"

"Yes, we did. Jonathan is a natural on a horse".

"Well, Walter says the turkey will be ready at 2".

"Wonderful! I'm starved".

They headed into the kitchen and made themselves a small plate, and then went upstairs to get ready.

They were all gathered around the table, waiting for Stephen to cut the turkey.

"Ok, tradition time. Jennifer sweetheart, you go first on telling what you are thankful for".

"I am thankful that I am able to be here this Thanksgiving. And I'm thankful that Jonathan and I are in a happy place again. And I'm thankful that I get to spend some time with you, Pa".

She turned to Jonathan.

"Your turn, darling".

"Well, I'm thankful that I have Jennifer in my life. And I'm thankful that she wanted me to come with her for Thanksgiving. And I'm thankful for my child that will be here soon".

"I can't wait to see you with him".

"I can't wait to see him".

She turned back to Stephen.

"Ok, Pa. Your turn".

"Well, I am thankful that my daughter is here, of course. And I'm thankful that she's found a wonderful young man to spend her time with, and I'm thankful that we have this wonderful meal prepared by Walter".

"Pa, go ask him to join us".

"I already did. He declined. He prefers to eat in front of the tv".

Jennifer explained to Jonathan that everything they were having were her mom's recipes.

Stephen cut the turkey and they all began to eat.

After a wonderful feast, they all retired to the living room. Jennifer went upstairs and changed out of her dress, and then came back downstairs and sat with Jonathan. He and Stephen were watching football. It ended up being a very relaxing afternoon.

Jennifer and her dad chatted about Africa, and she told him all about the animals and what she had done there.

"That sounds wonderful".

"I really enjoyed it. I would love to go back some day, maybe explore more of Africa".

When the next game came on, Jennifer headed out to the stables and went for a ride while Jonathan and Stephen watched football.

She came back when it was just starting to get dusk, and found them in the same spot where she'd left them.

Jonathan looked at her when she walked in.

"How was your ride?"

"Wonderful".

She read a book while they talked football, and eventually fell asleep on the couch.

After their game was over, Jonathan helped Stephen build a fire in the fireplace, and Walter made them a light dinner of leftovers.

Jonathan went and woke Jennifer up.

"Darling…..wake up. It's time for leftovers".

She woke up and looked at him.

"Did you say leftovers?"

"Yea, I did".

"Great, I'm starved".

He helped her off the couch and they went and got a plate and then just spent the rest of the night relaxing by the fire.

After Stephen had gone to bed, Jonathan and Jennifer were snuggling by the fire and chatting.

"Are you having fun, honey?"

"Absolutely. I love being here".

"Glad to hear it. I'm loving you being here with me".

She gave him a shoulder rub while they sat there by the fire.

"Oh Jennifer….that feels so amazing….Oh, yes…. Yes… yes…"

"Jonathan! My father is going to hear you! Would you keep it down?!"

He could barely contain his laughter.

"Jonathan, it's not funny. I'm not kidding".

"Baby, it's ok. We are grown adults, it's not like he's going to catch us doing the wild thing".

"So why were you trying to make him think we were?"

"Darling, where you are concerned, I just can't help myself".

He leaned back and kissed her tenderly.

They snuggled by the fire for a little bit longer, and then headed upstairs to bed.

When they got to the top of the stairs, he kissed her cheek.

"Your room or mine?"

"Neither. I think I have an idea…."


	42. Chapter 42

Jennifer took his hand and they crept into her room, and then through the bathroom and into Jonathan's room. She opened the door in the far back corner and they went into that room and then into a smaller room tucked off the back.

She opened a closet and there was a wooden ladder at the back.

She flipped a light switch on, and then climbed the ladder up into a loft.

She looked around a bit and then turned back to Jonathan.

"Grab those blankets and pillows and hand them to me".

He handed her the blankets first, and then the pillows.

"Now, climb on up here".

She was getting everything set up when he got up there.

"Darling, what is this?"

"It's an old loft. I used to come up here and read all the time when I was younger."

"It's nice and cozy".

"Yeah, and it's quiet too".

She went to the closet and dug out the old futon that was stored in there. He helped her get it into place, and then they laid down on it.

"How did you get your father to make this place for you?"

"I didn't. Momma and I made this. He doesn't know it's even up here. This used to be an attic. So, one summer when I was 12 and he was away in Germany, I stayed here with my mom and Walter. And she and I did some home improvement projects. She taught me how to install doors, and how to tack down carpet when it comes up. I told her I wanted a loft, so we made this room. And I had the great idea for about 10 seconds that this would be my bedroom".

"What stopped you?"

"I got tired of climbing up and down the ladder all the time. Plus, when my aunt and uncle and cousins come, it would be awkward for me to walk into their closet to go to bed".

"Did you make the ladder?"

"No, we didn't. I used to have bunk beds, and it was on those. I just drilled it into the wall at the right height and here we are".

"You are so creative".

"Why, thank you".

He leaned over and kissed her and wrapped his arms around her.

"You are so beautiful".

"And you are so handsome".

He gave her a few kisses and just held her close.

She started unbuttoning his shirt. When she got it open, she scratched and kissed his chest.

They took turns undressing each other and kissing in between.

She got hot, so he got up and turned on the fan and turned off the light.

When they were both undressed, he covered them with a blanket and then kissed her passionately.

He gave her breasts a gentle squeeze as he let his tongue probe her mouth, while she wrapped her legs around his ankles.

She opened her legs a little and he settled in between them.

He moved his kisses to her neck and then sucked on her earlobe a little.

"Mmmm".

He moved his kisses to her chest, and kissed his way to her nipples.

She ran her heels up and down the back of his calves.

She reached down and grabbed his butt and then slowly dragged her fingernails up his back.

He moved his kisses back up to her neck.

"I want you….baby"…

"I…..want you…..too…"

He pulled her leg up and then entered her, and quickly began thrusting in and out of her.

She lifted her hips and pulled him close to her, and gave him several kisses.

She let out several soft moans and gripped his shoulders.

"Jona….than….."

He kissed her passionately as they exploded into intimacy together.

She clung to him as they calmed down.

"That was hot".

"You're hot".

They spent several minutes holding each other and kissing.

"Every time we come to your father's we have to come up here at least once".

"I agree. I love it up here. I had forgotten how much I love it".

He laid on top of her and she gave him a back scratch for a few minutes.

They got dressed again and then climbed down the ladder and crept back to Jonathan's room.

She crept into the bathroom and then into her room and changed into her nightgown and then came back.

"I was just heading to your room".

"Perfect".

She grabbed his hand and they walked into her room and climbed into bed.

She snuggled up to his chest and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Can you believe how far we've come? I mean if you had told me 8 months ago that you would be coming home for Thanksgiving with me, I would have said you're crazy".

"I know. I hate how horribly I hurt you, but I do think we both learned something from it. I know I did".

"I agree".

"Jennifer, I know that I said a lot of things to you, and then we went through all that and those things probably don't mean anything to you now. But I want you to know that I really did mean everyone of them, especially how I used to tell you that they broke the mold when they made you. There is nobody else like you in the world, and I'm so grateful that you are mine".

"Darling, I forgave you for all that a long time ago. I wouldn't be with you now if I hadn't".

"I know that. I'm just saying that out of all the lies I told and the pain I've caused, all the times that I told you how beautiful you are, or that I loved you, or that I wanted you, those weren't lies. Those were the absolute truth".

"I believe you."

She gave him a few kisses.

"So, if you had a magic ball, and could see your life in 5 years, where do you think you'll be?"

"Well, my son will be 5 years old then. So, I imagine I'll be coaching his little league team, and still running Hart Industries".

"And what about you and me?"

"Well, if you and I are still together, then I guess you'll be going with me to his games".

"And?"

"And you'll be his biggest supporter".

He drifted off to sleep while she just stared at him.

She let him sleep a few minutes and then she got up and went and slept in his room.

***The next day***

Jonathan woke up and realized that he had fallen asleep in Jennifer's bed.

He went and found her in his bed and woke her up.

"Morning".

"Morning".

She got up and brushed past him and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.

She went downstairs without another word to him and he noticed that she was pretty quiet during breakfast.

"Jonathan, how about you and I go fishing together after breakfast?"

"Fine with me. Are you ok with that, Jennifer?"

"Fine with me".

After they were finished, Jennifer headed to the stables and Jonathan and Stephen headed to the pond to go fishing.

She was back by lunch. They were still gone, so she decided to sit on the back porch and read.

They finally got back around 3, and they were each carrying 2 lines of fish each.

She was in the kitchen when they came in and put them in the sink.

"Well, it looks like you two had a fun time".

"We did, we did".

"Wonderful."

"What do you folks say to us having a good old fashioned fish fry for dinner?"

"That sounds divine".

"I agree with Pa, Walter. I'll help you make the hushpuppies and the sweet tea".

"And I'll help filet the fish".

They all worked together and got everything ready in about an hour or so.

"Well, I'm going to go take a shower. Why don't we break from tradition and not dress up tonight for dinner?"

"Sounds good to me".

Jonathan got the fish all fileted and then went to take a shower as well.

After Jennifer had the hushpuppies made, she went upstairs to change for dinner.

They had just sat down at the table and started eating when Stephen brought up the subject of her duplex.

"So, sweetheart, what are you going to do about your duplex?"

"Well, I made the landlord an offer to buy it, and I'm waiting to hear back from him".

"Would you be buying just your side or both sides?"

"I'm not sure. He hasn't told me what the asking price is yet".

"Have you thought about buying a condo?"

"Not seriously. I suppose-"

"Rent to own is the way to go, if you aren't going to straight up buy".

"Well, I considered-"

"Yeah, but a condo will appreciate in value and in Los Angeles they are in high demand".

"I'm just saying there's no reason to rent if you aren't going to come out with something from it in the end".

"I agree with that. If she was buy to a condo, she could sell it later for at least double what she paid for it".

"I don't know that I want a condo. I might want a house, with a garage".

It was like she had never spoken at all.

"If she bought 2 rent to own properties at once, she could live in one, and sublet one and make a nice profit and come out ahead".

"Ok, that's it! Both of you, stop! I am a grown woman. I am capable of deciding for myself what my best option is. Maybe I don't want to rent to own. Maybe I want to purchase outright. And maybe I don't want a condo. Maybe I want a house. I don't know yet, because as I stated in the beginning of this insane conversation, I haven't heard back from my landlord yet. So, as the intelligent woman that I am, it seems to me that I should first figure out if I need to move, and then when I know that, I can decide for myself what I am moving into. What I don't need is the two of you deciding for me what I'm going to do".

She stood up and threw her napkin down and left the room.

"Oh dear. I'm afraid she misunderstood us. I'll go talk to her".

Stephen got up and went after Jennifer while Jonathan cleared their dishes.

Stephen found her on the back porch.

"Sweetheart, I didn't mean to upset you. I was just saying that at your age, I think you would be smart to rent something that you will own in the end, instead of just renting and not getting any equity out of it. That's all".

"I know that. And I'll consider it, but I'm not to the point where I have to decide anything yet."

"Ok, like I said, I overstepped".

"Overstepped? You and Jonathan couldn't have ignored me or my feelings anymore if you had been paid to do so".

"You're right. We should have listened to you. But sweetheart, we both care about you so much".

"Is that what he told you?"

"Yes. He told me that he cares about you more than he's ever cared about anyone he's ever dated. He's quite smitten with you, sweetheart".

"I am capable of making my own choices, Pa."

"I know."

"When I left college, did I need your help getting an apartment?"

"No, you didn't".

"And I have done quite well for myself ever since".

"Yes, you have. I'm sorry, sweetheart. You're right".

"Thank you".

They walked inside and found Jonathan sitting on the couch.

"Everything ok?"

"Everything's fine. My Jennifer is very smart, competent and capable and can take care of herself just fine".

Stephen got out a deck of cards.

"How about some gin rummy?"

"Sure".

"Sounds fun".

They all played cards for about an hour or so, and then Stephen decided to head to bed.

"Well, tomorrow will be your last day here sweetheart, how do you want to spend it?"

"With you."

She gave her dad a long hug and then he headed to bed.

"I'm right behind you".

She and Jonathan turned out the lights and headed upstairs.

As they got to her room, she turned to him.

"See you in the morning".

"Jennifer, can't we talk for a little bit?"

"No, I'm tired. I'd really rather just go to bed. Goodnight".

She turned and went into her room without saying anything else to him.

Dumbfounded, he went to his room and went to bed.

***The next morning***

Jennifer woke up early, around 5:30. She quietly got dressed and tiptoed downstairs.

She left a note on the counter that she was going for a long ride and to not hold breakfast for her.

She selected Magnolia again, and saddled her up, and they took off.

They rode down a long trail, and across the back half of the property. She hadn't ridden like this since her mom died; long, therapeutic horseback rides were good for the soul.

She had a lot on her mind, her future with Jonathan being first and foremost.

She knew what she wanted, there was no doubt about that. She wanted him. But she wanted all of him, not just him every now and then. What she couldn't figure out was whether or not he really wanted her. She wanted him to want her, of course, and she supposed on some level he did. But if they weren't on the same page, then there was no point in moving forward.

After their conversation in bed two nights ago and then his part in the argument at dinner, and what her father told her he had told him, she wasn't so sure he knew what he wanted anymore. And if he didn't know what he wanted, then any chance they had of moving forward was lost. And that's what was breaking her heart.

She rode back to the stables and put Magnolia in her stall.

She walked inside and found her father and Jonathan still enjoying coffee.

"Well hello. Did you enjoy your ride?"

"Yes, I did. Magnolia is a great horse, Pa. She rides very well."

"I'm glad to hear that. I was thinking of racing her".

"She would make an excellent race horse".

She stepped into the kitchen to get some coffee and a bagel.

She came back to the dining room.

"Well, I have some errands to run in town. So, I will see you two later this afternoon."

"Sounds good".

She finished her bagel and then took her coffee to the back porch and sat on the swing.

A few minutes later, Jonathan came outside.

"Can I sit with you?"

"If you'd like".

He sat with her and covered them both with the blanket he had brought from the living room.

"Thank you".

"I apologize for my part in upsetting you last night. I shouldn't have voiced my opinion".

"Thank you".

"You know you are more than welcome to move into my house with me and Max. That offer is always on the table".

"I know that. But I don't know that my doing that would be wise. And like I tried to say last night, I don't know that I even need to move. If I can buy my place, I want to".

"Why would us living together not be wise?"

"Because, your life is about to get all busy and complicated. And you don't need me adding to that, Jonathan."

"I never said that".

"Well, you kind of did. And it's ok. I've been thinking. Maybe it's best if we take a step back, and you raise your child for awhile and then when you feel you have room for me in your life, we can try again".

"I don't want to do this without you".

"But this isn't something that I'm a part of, Jonathan. This is the part of your life that you have with Kristin, and I don't belong there. She certainly doesn't want me around, and you will need to focus on the baby and not on me".

"So you want to break up, is that what you are saying?"

"I don't want to do this at all. I feel that it's necessary."

"Look, can we table this? What if we meet with her and my lawyer and her lawyer and we work somethings out? Are you willing to do that?"

"What kind of things?"

"Darling, how much experience do you think I have with babies?"

"I don't know".

"Here's a hint: not a lot. Not only will I need your help, but I want you to experience it with me. There's nobody else in the whole world that I want to experience this with more than you. So, I'm thinking that we need to put everything on the table and get everyone on the same page. I want her to know that you will be at my house when he's there. You will be part of his life as long as you are part of my life, and that's not negotiable".

"Jonathan-"

"Where is this coming from? Everything was going great".

"I don't want to talk about this anymore".

"Jennifer, come on. Just tell me. It's ok, whatever it is".

"Remember laying in bed with me night before last?"

"Yeah. We were talking about the future".

"Start there".

She got up and went inside and left him to think on the porch.


	43. Chapter 43

Jennifer was in the kitchen when Jonathan came back inside.

"Want to go shopping with me?"

"I suppose".

She ran upstairs and got her purse and they headed out.

Jennifer found some outfits and a few pairs of shoes, and Jonathan found a couple books he wanted to read. He also bought a couple outfits for the baby.

They headed back to the house and saw that Stephen was still out.

"How about a late afternoon horseback ride, just you and me?"

She nodded.

They headed to the stables and selected their horses.

Jennifer picked Easy Rider, while Jonathan picked Checkerboard.

"I'm sorry, we are bathing all the horses. The only one who is available is Easy Rider".

"Perfect, we can double up".

He mounted Easy Rider first, and then helped her up in front of him.

He wrapped his arms around her as they took off.

They rode down several trails and down the west side of the property. After a nice long ride, they headed back to the stables, and then back to the house.

They spent a low key evening with her father, and then headed to bed.

***Sunday***

Jonathan and Jennifer were up early, and came down for breakfast around 7.

Jonathan set their bags by the door.

Jennifer went and sat by her father.

"Now sweetheart, I'll be in London for the next month".

"Even over Christmas?"

"Yes, unfortunately I have to be in Germany the day after Christmas. The flights from London to Germany are shorter than the ones from here to Germany, so it's best that I leave from London."

"Well next year, I want us to spend Christmas together. No exceptions".

"You got it, my sweetheart."

"Darling, we better head to the airport. Jack will be waiting on us."

"Jonathan, it was a pleasure having you join us for Thanksgiving".

"Thank you, sir. I enjoyed it as well".

"That goes double for me, Pa".

After they exchanged hugs and handshakes, Jonathan and Jennifer headed to the airport.

***On the plane***

Jonathan and Jennifer boarded the plane and got settled. She was being pretty quiet, and he thought long and hard before broaching the subject with her. Ultimately, he decided they needed to talk things out.

"Jennifer, how serious were you about us breaking up?"

"I'm very serious".

"But I don't understand. Everything was going so well".

"I thought so too. And then we had that conversation".

"I don't remember any conversation".

"We were laying in bed and I asked you where you saw yourself in 5 years. And you said you imagined that you would be coaching your son's little league team".

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all".

"So what's the problem?"

"The problem is, I then asked you about you and me, and you said that "if we are still together", you figured I would attend all of his games and be his biggest supporter. So, you and I are apparently on different pages about what we want. And that was confirmed to me after my father told me about your fishing trip".

"What do you mean?"  
"He stated that you told him you care about me more than you care about anyone else. He said that you are "quite smitten with me".

"What's wrong with that?"

"I want more than that. I deserve more than that, Jonathan. I thought we had more than just you being smitten with me and caring about me".

"I love you, you know that".

"Yes, you tell me all the time. But you didn't tell my father. And will you still love me in 5 years? This is why I think you and I need to take a step back. You need to raise your son and focus on him and then if there's room in your life for someone besides him, you can figure out who you want to be with".

"I don't want to lose you, Jennifer. I told you I was willing to meet with her and the lawyers so we could figure this out".

"I know. And I appreciate it. But it doesn't really change anything, if you don't see us together".

"So that's it? There's nothing I can do to change your mind?"

"Jonathan, I'm not doing this to hurt you or to be ugly or anything like that. I think in time you will see this is a positive thing, for you. I'm giving you time to focus on your son".

"I just want you to know that this isn't what I want. You are what I want. I don't remember the conversation we had the other night, but if I said these things, then I take responsibility for them. And I didn't tell your dad how deep my feelings for you really are because I was nervous. You can walk away from me, but I will never walk away from you. I love you, with all my heart, baby. And that's never going to change, no matter what".

"I appreciate that. I think when your son is born, you will appreciate it too".

The rest of the plane ride was quiet. She read some, and napped some. He tried to read, but found it hard to focus.

They landed in LA and Max was waiting for them.

"We are going to drop Jennifer off first, and then you and I are going home, Max".

"You aren't staying at her house?"

"We decided to split up for a bit, Max".

"We didn't decide anything. You decided for us".

"Jonathan, it's for the best. In time you will see that".

The rest of the car ride was awkward, to say the least.

He carried her bags in for her.

"Well, when you realize how ridiculous this is, call me. I love you".

He kissed her cheek and started to leave.

"Jonathan, I meant what I said. I'm not doing this to hurt you, please believe that."

"That part must be unavoidable then".

"Jonathan, don't be like this. Come on…"

"Don't be like what? Upset that you are breaking up with me? I mean, last time, I deserved that. But this time, I don't. And it doesn't make sense, and it does hurt, there's no way around that."

"I love you, but your son is the most important aspect of your life now. Focus on him, and try to be happy."

"Without you, there's no point".

He turned and left her apartment then, and she closed the door behind him.

She went and took a long bubble bath, and then unpacked. She fought the urge to call him before bed.

***A few days later***

Jonathan was still moping around. He was short tempered, snapping at everyone. Max couldn't remember when he had seen him like this.

"If you want her back, Mr. H., show her. Show her that you want her in your life permanently. Maybe she needs to know that you feel the same way she does".

"Yeah, maybe."

He left for the office and thought about it the whole way to work.

One part of him wanted to test the waters. The other part of him wanted to just go for it. He was seriously torn on what to do.

***Jennifer***

Jennifer was at work, trying to schedule an interview. She was deep in thought, when suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Hi, you have a delivery".

"Thanks".

It was a bouquet of flowers. They were absolutely beautiful. Lilacs, white ranunculus, sterling roses, blue bonnets. They were all in a black shiny vase.

She dug for the card.

"I miss you tremendously and love you a million times more. Please call me-Jonathan".

She sighed and gave him a call.

"Hello?"

"Hi. Thank you for the flowers".

"Hi. You're welcome".

"So, you wanted me to call you?"

"Yeah, I was wondering if we could talk tonight, in person?"

"If you think it's going to change things. I'm willing".

"Well, I don't think things are going to change if we don't talk".

"When and where?"

"I have a business meeting this afternoon that's probably going to run pretty late. How about I swing by your place afterwards and we decide where to go then?"

"That's fine".

"I love you".

"I love you too".

She hung up and got back to work.

Around 5, she was walking out the door and heading for her car.

Someone tapped her on the shoulder and startled her.

She turned and dropped the flowers, smashing the vase.

"Damn!"

"Here, let me help you".

She looked up and saw who it was.

"Elliott. What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was coming by to drop something off and saw you in the parking lot."

"I see".

She started trying to gather up the flowers so she could take them home and put them in a different vase.

They reached for them at the same time, and his hand pushed on the top of hers.

"Ouch!"

She pulled her hand back and saw a river of blood.

"Elliott, I really need to be going. Have a nice day".

She left the flowers and got in her car and headed home.

***Jennifer's duplex***

As soon as she got home, she washed her cut and bandaged it.

She took a long bubble bath, and then put on some lounging clothes and made herself some soup.

She had only been home about an hour or so, when there was a knock at the door.

She went and answered it and found Elliott on the other side.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I felt so bad that you dropped your pretty flowers, so I went and salvaged what I could of them, and I bought you some more to make up for making you drop the first ones".

"Thank you, that's very kind of you".

She took the flowers from him, and went and set them on the counter.

He followed her into the house.

"How's your hand?"

"Oh, it's fine. It wasn't too bad".

"Good, glad to hear it".

He walked over to her and stroked her cheek.

"Don't….please".

"Now Jennifer, come on. This is silly. We are both adults. I have needs, you have needs. You are without a doubt the sexiest woman I've ever known, and I think if we both stop playing these stupid games, we can fulfill each other's needs just fine".

"Elliott, I've told you, I'm not interested."

"Is it because of the boat race?"

"No, it's not".

She walked over to the kitchen and got herself a glass of water.

Elliott was walking around and talking very animatedly. She realized he had been drinking.

"I had to do it. I had to be able to save face. And then when my part was going to be discovered, I had to think fast".

She walked over to her purse, and found her tape recorder that she sometimes used for interviews.

She hit record, and then kept Elliott talking.

"I didn't want anyone to get hurt, I just wanted to slow him down".

"Nobody got hurt, Elliott, it's alright".

"But now he's suing me! And I could lose everything. And the only thing he has that I really want is you!"

"Why is he suing you?"

"I tampered with his boat. I cut the steering wheel, and frayed the cord to the sails, thinking one or the other would cause his boat to slow down and then I could win the race and I could recoup my losses. But instead, he was completely out of the race and I got stuck behind 2 other people and I still came in 4th".

"I see."

"So, I teamed up with this guy, Klasko. He promised me that he would bring down Hart in the press, so that others won't trust him and I could get some business deals. But he's still beating me at every business deal. And the only one I care about, the only deal I need to close, is you".

"I am not a business deal, Elliott. I'm a person, with feelings".

"Blah Blah Blah. You know what I mean".

Jennifer had noticed that he had set his keys down. She picked them up and put them in her pocket.

"I think you need to leave, Elliott. Let me call you a cab".

She picked up the phone to call him a cab, and he knocked the phone out of her hands.

"I'm staying here with you tonight, and that's final".

"No, you're not staying here at all. And THAT'S final!"

She went and opened the door.

"I can call you a cab or you can walk, your choice".

He came over and grabbed her arm and tried to lead her to the bedroom.

"No, stop Elliott. You're hurting me!"

"Shutup and stop whining!"

Just then, Jonathan burst in.

"Leave her alone, Elliott. Let go of her, right now".

"Get the hell out of here, Hart-y boy. This doesn't concern you".

"It most certainly does concern me. Let her go".

Elliott dropped Jennifer's wrist and lunged at Jonathan.

They exchanged a few punches and rolled around on the floor for a few minutes, and finally, Jonathan got the upper hand.

Jennifer grabbed the phone and called the police.

Jonathan managed to knock Elliott out, and when he finally realized he wasn't going to wake up, he climbed off him and sat on the couch.

"Can you get me a cold washcloth please?"

She got up and got him one and brought it to him.

"Darling, I want you to hear something".

She went and got the tape recorder and played it back for him.

"How did you get him to tell you this?"

"I didn't. He was just talking on his own and started talking about it so I hit record".

"You're wonderful. Absolutely wonderful".

The police got there and took their statements and arrested Elliott for aggravated assault against both of them.

Jonathan agreed to go to the hospital, but he declined to go in an ambulance.

"Want me to drive you?"

"Yes, I do".

Jennifer threw some shoes on and grabbed her jacket and they headed to the hospital to get Jonathan checked out.

***Los Angeles Methodist Hospital***

They walked in, and Jonathan was taken back almost immediately.

He was in the triage room, holding an ice pack to his face.

He finally noticed the bandage on Jennifer's hand.

"What did you do to your hand?"

"Well, I was leaving work and Elliott surprised me, and the flowers that you gave me were in my hand and I dropped them and then cut my hand on the pieces of the vase".

She turned her hand over and saw that she was bleeding through the bandage.

The tech agreed to look at it for her, after they finished Jonathan.

"Jennifer, call Max would you? I don't want him worrying about me".

"Sure".

She picked up the phone and called Max and told him Jonathan would be home late but that he was ok.

She returned to his triage room.

"They are taking me for x-rays, I'll be back soon".

"Ok, I'll wait for you".

The tech examined Jennifer's hand while Jonathan was gone, and determined she needed her cut glued.

After she was all glued up, she sat there waiting on Jonathan to come back.

He came back with his nose in a cast.

"He broke your nose? I've always loved your nose!"

"Looks worse than it feels, darling".

"That's due to the pain medicine we gave you. You will feel this tomorrow, I assure you". They gave Jennifer the after-care instructions and discharged him.

"What are my instructions?"

"To sleep sitting up, to take pain meds every 4-6 hours, and to use the press n' seal coating over your cast when you shower".

They walked to the car.

"Want me to drive you to your house?"

"No, my car is at yours".

They swung by the pharmacy and got him some pain meds and then headed to her house.

They went inside and she started straightening up.

"Well, I guess I better go home".

"Why don't we try again in a few days when you are feeling better?"

"I'll call you tomorrow."

She nodded.

"Did you hear back from the realtor?"

"Yes. And he has decided to not sell right away, so I can live here another 4-6 months".

"I miss holding you at night. I miss being around you. I don't want this".

"I miss you too. I do. I just think I'm an added distraction when you should be focusing on your son".

"I want to focus on my son with you. I want a life with you, Jennifer. I really do".

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him for a few minutes.

"I'm so glad you came by when you did".

"Did he hurt you?"

"He grabbed my wrist, but that was all."

"I should have gotten here sooner".

"It's alright".

He was just about to kiss her when the phone rang.

She went and picked it up.

"Hello? Hi Max….yeah, he's right here".

She handed the phone to him.

"Hello? Ok, I'm on my way".

He hung up the phone and then turned to Jennifer.

"I have to go, Kristin's water broke".


	44. Chapter 44

***The next day***

Jennifer hadn't heard from Jonathan since he left last night. She was hopeful, anxious, happy for him, and sad for herself, all at once. She had thrown herself into her work and gotten through the day, and was looking forward to a long bubble bath when she got home.

As she walked in the door, her phone was ringing.

"Hello?"

"Miss Edwards, it's Max. Jonathan asked me to let you know he's still at the hospital with Kristin. There were complications. He says he's not leaving till his son is born, but as soon as he does leave, he will come to you wherever you are".

"Thanks Max. If you talk to him, tell him not to worry about me and to focus on his child".

"Will do, Miss Edwards".

She hung up and went to take her bath.

A few hours later, she had just crawled into bed when there was a knock at her door.

She went and opened it and found Jonathan on the other side.

"Hi".

He leaned forward and kissed her, and picked her up, kicking the door shut with his foot. He held her in one arm, and locked her door in the other.

He carried her to the bedroom and laid her down on the bed.

He crawled onto the bed next to her.

"Jonathan…tell me everything".

"Well, you said that I needed to focus on my child and figure out where you fit into my life. As it turns out, I don't have a child".

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say the skin color of the baby she gave birth to and mine don't match up. And it doesn't match with hers either. And as soon as she saw him, she realized the gig was up. She called her partner, Brad Klasko, and told him that the plan was over".

"Brad Klasko was her partner? What plan are you talking about?"

"I think that's what Elliott was referring to last night. She and Brad cooked up a scheme to bring me down. She was going to go to the press and tell them that I had abandoned her and the baby, that I wasn't paying child support, things like that. He was going to try and get other companies to not do business with me. I think he and Elliott might have joined forces on that front as well".

"I'm sorry, Jonathan. I just felt like you should focus on the baby for a while".

"It's ok. Everything's ok".

"So now what?"

"Now, it's just you, and me, and Elliott has been taken care of, and there aren't any wayward baby mamas hanging around. And you are still the one I want".

"You are still the one I want. You are the one I've always wanted".

She gave him a few kisses and let him hold her.

"How does your nose feel?"

"Better. I can take the cast off day after tomorrow, and the bruising should go away in a few weeks".

"I feel so bad that you got hurt defending me".

"I would do it again in a heartbeat, baby. I love you".

He rolled on top of her and made love to her and then held her all night long.

***A few weeks later***

It was just a couple days before Christmas.

Jennifer and Jonathan hadn't spent a night apart since they reunited.

She was at his house with him, while he was packing for an out of town trip.

"But why can't I go? I don't have to attend the meetings with you, I can entertain myself during the day. I just don't want to be without you at night".

"Darling, we've been all through this. I don't know that I'll even be able to see you at night. These meetings might go on round the clock".

"Darling, it's our first Christmas together. We can't spend it apart".

"I tell you what. Let's fly to Vegas tonight, we can be married in an hour. Then I can tell the board that I have a wife I need to get back to".

"Ha ha. I told you, we are not getting engaged until you ask my father for his blessing. So, no quickie weddings, in Vegas. Sorry, not happening".

"You drive a hard bargain".

"And you love me anyways".

"Immensely".

He gave her a few passionate kisses and then resumed packing.

She drove him to the airport.

She got out and walked to his side of the car when they got there to tell him goodbye.

"I promise you, it's only going to be for 2 days, at the most. I'm quite confident I can secure this deal in less time".

"I love you. You better call me every night, mister. No excuses".

"I love you too. I promise I will call you".

"Darling, what if Elliott tries to get to me while you're gone?"

"He won't. He's in jail, without bond, thanks to the arson charges. I called to make sure he hadn't been released this afternoon right before I left the office".

"I'm sorry, I'm just anxious".

"I know. But you will be fine, I promise. If you need something, call Max. You can stay at the house with Max if you want. He'd love to have you. And before you know it, it will be Christmas eve and I'll be home and we will have 10 days to focus on nothing but each other".

"I love you love you. You better be home for Christmas Eve. If you aren't I'm coming to you".

"It's a deal. I love you love you too."

A few more kisses later, and she was back in the car watching his plane take off.

She headed to her house, determined to get through the next two days somehow.

***Jonathan***

Jonathan's plane landed at the airport, and he took the car service to his hotel.

He really wanted to surprise Jennifer, so he had led her to believe it was going to be two days instead of what he figured would only take one. He wanted to bring her, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to keep her from unraveling his secret if she had been with him.

He undressed and climbed into bed and called Jennifer.

It rang a few times before she sleepily answered it.

"Hello?"

"HI darling. I'm here, I'm in my hotel and I'm missing you".

"Oh, I miss you too. I love you".

"I'll be home soon, darling, I promise".

"Hopefully sooner rather than later".

"Get some rest, ok? I'll call you tomorrow. I love you".

"I love you too".

She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone and fell back asleep.

***The next day***

Jonathan got up and went to his first of two meetings. He was a little hesitant on how he wanted to close the deal, but finally made up his mind.

His first meeting couldn't have gone better. They sealed the deal immediately, and then the person he was meeting with gave him something to make it go even better.

"Thank you, I'm sure we will be in touch".

He went to his second meeting and while that one took considerably longer, he knew it was the right way to go.

After it was all over, he called Jack and headed to the airport.

***Jennifer***

Jennifer was on the couch, watching a movie. But she couldn't focus on it, her mind kept wandering to Jonathan. She wanted to call him so bad. She was kicking herself for not asking him what hotel he was staying in.

She went and changed into his favorite nightgown, a dark green spaghetti strap v-cut one with lace edges.

She turned the lights out and headed to bed.

She had just turned the bed down, when there was a knock at the door.

She went and opened it, and found him on the other side.

"You're home!"

He picked her up and kissed her and swung her around.

He set her down and kissed her again.

"I missed you. I know it's late, but I just had to come by".

"You're staying the night, sailor".

She locked the door and they headed to the bedroom.

They spent the next few hours making love, and then he wrapped his arms around her and held her close as they prepared to go to sleep.

"How were your meetings, honey?"

"They went better than expected".

"That's great… I love you…."

"I love you too".

They fell asleep all wrapped up together.

***Christmas Eve***

Jennifer arrived at Jonathan's house around 4. She had all of his Christmas gifts, Max's Christmas gifts, and an overnight bag with her.

"Darling, did you bring the suitcase I told you to pack?"

"Yes. Warm weather clothes, and cold weather clothes".

"Perfect."

"Want to tell me what it's about?"

"In due time, baby. I promise".

She kissed him and then put all the gifts under the tree.

Max had built them a fire, and had made some hors d'oeuvres.

They were relaxing by the fire and he had his arms around her.

"Darling, it was the strangest thing-Olivia came into my office today and told me that I had to take a mandatory vacation. I cannot come back to work till January 1".

"Really? Well, I'm closing Hart Industries except for catch up work till then, so we can spend the days off together".

"Wonderful".

"What if we go away somewhere? We keep saying we are going to".

"I'm good with that. Where do you want to go?"

"Well, it would need to be somewhere tropical and warm, somewhere that rejuvenates the soul".

"The only place that rejuvenates my soul is Paris".

"Ok, so what if we split the trip into two parts-Paris and say…Bermuda?"

"Yeah, I like that".

"I'll make the arrangements. We can leave tomorrow afternoon".

"Wonderful".

Max came and told them dinner was ready.

"Great! What are we having?"

"Bacon wrapped filet mignons, rosemary potatoes, and a chopped salad".

"Sounds divine. You are eating with us, aren't you, Max?"

"I wish I could. But I'm due to play Santa at the Children's hospital, and I better get to it. Mr. H., I'm headed to Vegas after my gig tonight. I'll be back in a few days".

"Merry Christmas, Max".

She stepped forward and kissed his cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Miss Edwards".

"Merry Christmas, Max".

"Merry Christmas."

"Max, before you leave, the presents in the green wrapping paper are yours. Take them with you".

"Oh, Miss Edwards, you shouldn't have done that".

"You take care of us so well, Max. You deserve it".

They walked into the dining room, and Jonathan lit the candles on the table.

They had a lovely romantic dinner, and then cleaned up the kitchen together.

"Darling, what do you say to opening one present on Christmas Eve?"

"I say no, we should wait till the morning".

"But darling, it's Christmas Eve. Which is already like Christmas".

"You'll survive, darling".

"I tell you what. You let me open one present, I'll let you open one present. And you get to pick the present for both of us. And, I'll give you a full body massage, I'll turn on some music and dance with you, and I'll make you a special dessert".

"Honey, if we do all that, we won't have time to open the presents".

She kissed him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I should have a baby here with me tonight".

"Jonathan….it's not your fault".

"I know. I mean I know he's not mine, and I never even held him, so it's not like I got attached to him. I think I got attached to the idea of him".

"I hate to see you so down like this."

"I'm not really down. It's just special moments like this make think about what could have been".

She leaned over and hugged him, and he moved them so they were laying on the couch.

She laid on top of him and kissed him.

"I love you, Mr. Hart".

"I love you, Miss Edwards".

He started to unbutton her blouse. Before too long, they were both topless.

He wound his fingers through her hair and kissed her passionately.

Just then, the door opened.

"It's only me. I forgot my beard. Whoa!"

"Max!"

"Oh my gosh".

Jennifer was scrambling to cover herself up.

He left the room in a hurry.

Jonathan wrapped the blanket around her.

"It's ok. He didn't see too much".

"Jonathan, I was topless in front of him!"

"Jennifer, it's ok. He's very cool about these things".

"You say that like it's happened before".

"It has happened before".

"Jonathan!"

Max came back through again.

"Sorry you two. Night. Merry Christmas".

He left and locked the door behind him.

Jennifer sat up and started putting her shirt back on.

"I'm so embarrassed."

"Why? We are consenting adults. He saw your back, he didn't see you completely naked".

"Close enough".

He sat up and wrapped his arms around her.

"Now look. He's gone. It's just you and me in the house. By the time you and I see him again, it will have been days since it happened, and he will have forgotten all about it. So, we can either have a great Christmas Eve or we can dwell on this and let it put us in a funk".

She kissed him.

"I promise not to dwell on it, I'm sorry".

She gave him a few tender, slow kisses and stroked his neck and cheek while she did.

"Want to pick up where we left off?"

"Mmmhmmm".

They made love right there by the fire, and she fell asleep in his arms.

As the clock struck midnight, he kissed her forehead and whispered,

"Merry Christmas my darling".


	45. Chapter 45

***Christmas Morning***

Jennifer woke up in the middle of the night and woke Jonathan up.

"Darling, let's go to bed. I'm cold".

He sleepily followed her, and within a few minutes they were back asleep.

They woke up for real around 8, and made breakfast and coffee together.

After they had opened presents, they showered and got dressed and then laid around till it was time to go to the airport.

Jonathan had gotten her the most beautiful garnet and diamond bracelet, set in gold. She couldn't stop staring at it.

She had gotten him a new watch with lots of buttons, and a handheld football game, and a few other things.

They headed to the airport around 2, and boarded the plane.

Jennifer was so excited to be going to Paris.

She reclined her seat and linked her arm through his and leaned against his shoulder.

"Darling…you told me to bring a suitcase with warm clothes and warm weather clothes. But we hadn't talked about this trip till I got to your house".

"Yeah?"

"Did you…make arrangements with Olivia to whisk me out of town?"

"I told her that I wanted to take you on a special trip. She told me that you wouldn't get any new assignments till then, and she came up with the mandatory vacation thing all on her own".

She leaned up and kissed him.

She slept on his shoulder while he played his game. The next thing she knew, they were about to land.

He leaned over and started kissing her.

"Wake up baby, we are about to land".

She woke up and headed to the bathroom, and then came back and buckled up.

After they landed, they took the car service he had rented to their hotel.

"Darling, where are we staying?"

"It's a surprise".

They rode along, looking at all the lights.

Finally, they arrived at their destination.

They were staying at the hotel directly across from the Eiffel Tower.

"Oh, I've always wanted to stay here!"

She gave him a few kisses and then they got out of the hotel.

They checked in and headed to their room.

"Darling, it's 11 p.m. here. So, we will have to do room service for dinner".

"That's fine".

He called and ordered them room service, but everything that he asked for, they were out of.

"So what do you have?...Fine, we'll take it….Large, please. And a beverage tray".

She had changed into a black nightgown and robe.

She was standing at the window, staring at the Eiffel Tower.

He came over and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's quite a sight".

He held her quietly for a few minutes.

"Penny for your thoughts".

"Oh, I was just thinking about how blessed I am to be with the most romantic man of all time in the most romantic city of all time and how life couldn't get much better than this".

She turned and kissed him.

"Darling, are you sure we can only stay here 2 nights?"

"Yes, I'm sure. But I promise, I'll bring you back really soon".

There was a knock at the door, so he went to get their room service.

She drew the drapes and found them a French movie on tv.

He climbed into the bed and put the tray between them.

"What did we get?"

"New York Style Pizza. Extra cheese, extra pepperoni".

"Wonderful! I'm starved".

She grabbed a piece and took a bite.

"Amazing".

"We also have champagne, white wine, and water".

"I'll take a water."

After they were finished eating, they curled up and watched the movie.

He fell asleep before she did.

She turned the tv off and kissed him a few times and then settled into the crook of his shoulder.

***Two days later***

Jennifer had dragged Jonathan to several art galleries, tons of shops, a few café's, and all her other favorite places. She was having the time of her life, and he was a good sport. She insisted they walk everywhere, and he relented. By the time they got back to their hotel, his feet were throbbing.

They had one more stop to make this morning, and then they were having breakfast at her favorite café before they headed to the airport.

He woke up before she did and got everything ready.

She stirred a little when he got back in bed.

They slept till just after 8, and then woke up.

"Morning, darling".

"Morning honey".

After they were showered and ready, they headed to their last stop, the Love Bridge.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yeah. It is".

"We should have brought a lock to put on the love bridge".

He took both of her hands in his.

"I have something for you".

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small jewelry box and put it in her hands.

She hesitated and then opened it to find a spool of thread.

"What I've always wanted".

"There's a story behind it".

"I'm listening".

"Well, I was thinking that we have this way, of going through life, and we make connections with others. Some of those are deeper than others, some last longer than others, but if we do it right, at the end of our lives, we will have made many, many connections. And each connection can build upon the previous one".

"I love that".

"So, then that got me to think about what is more important? Is it how many connections you make? Or is it who you make them with? Or is it how you make them, that counts?"

"Maybe it's all three".

"I agree. I think they all work together. So, that tells me that you have to prioritize for yourself which connections are the most important. And it's up to you to make them last. You have to put a lot of effort into making the initial connection, and you have to put in the effort to keep it going, but you have to do something in the middle to cement the connection".

He slipped the circle of thread he had made around her finger.

"And then it all became clear to me. It's all about who we tie ourselves to that counts, and making sure that we don't cut the strings".

She leaned up and kissed him.

"That's beautiful".

He took a step back and then dropped something on the string and moved it so it would move to her.

It was a 4 carat Princess cut engagement ring with a halo setting and a platinum band.

He dropped to one knee.

"I don't ever want our connection to end. Jennifer Suzanne Edwards, with your father's blessing, will you marry me?"

"Yes, I will marry you".

She leaned down and kissed him and he slipped the diamond ring on her finger and slipped the thread ring off.

He stood up and pulled something else from his pocket.

"There's just one more thing to do".

He opened his hand to reveal the lock he had brought. He had engraved it with "JCH+JSE" and the date.

He handed her the keys, and they selected where to put it. After it was firmly in place, she tossed the keys into the river and then leaned up and kissed him.

"I love you, all my heart".

"I love you, all my heart".

A few kisses later, they headed to her favorite café for breakfast.

After breakfast, they headed back to their hotel to get their things and check out.

"Darling, I want to call Pa and tell him the good news. When did you ask him for his blessing?"

"Darling, he was my special trip last week. I flew to Hill Haven, and spoke to him, and he not only said yes, he gave me something".

"What did he give you?"

"Your center stone is the same stone he proposed to your mom with. And all the diamonds all around the center stone are from a diamond tennis bracelet your grandmother received from your grandfather. So, after I got his blessing, I went to a jeweler and I had them make the ring with what he had given me, and then I came home to you".

"That is incredibly romantic. I absolutely adore you".

She gave him several kisses and then called her dad in Germany.

"This is Stephen Edwards".

"Hi Pa, it's Jennifer".

"Jennifer, my sweetheart, how are you?"

"I'm wonderful, Pa. How are you?"

"I'm good. Did you have a good Christmas?"

"Yes, we did. In fact, Jonathan surprised me and brought me to Paris. We've been here a few days, and we are leaving today and stopping in Bermuda on the way home".

"Splendid! How is Jonathan?"

"He's wonderful. And Pa, I wanted to tell you-he asked me to marry him. I said yes".

"Wonderful! Tell him I said Welcome to the family".

She turned to Jonathan.

"He's happy. He says Welcome to the family".

"How nice. Thank you very much".

"Jonathan says Thank you, Pa. And I love the fact that you gave him some of momma's diamonds to put into my ring. That makes it so much more special".

"He's a good man, sweetheart. He loves you very much".

"I love him too. And as soon as we set a date, we will let you know".

"Sounds wonderful. Have a wonderful time in Bermuda, my sweetheart. I have to meet with a client now".

"Thanks Pa. I'll send you a postcard. I love you".

"I love you too".

They hung up and she turned her focus to Jonathan.

"Why don't we order a bottle of champagne and take it on board with us?"

"Excellent idea".

They checked out and headed to the airport. Jennifer couldn't quit staring at her ring.

"You know, there's someone else who's going to be over the moon happy for us".

"Max."

"We have to include him in the wedding honey, in a very special way. He was able to see what we couldn't from the beginning".

"I agree. I think I might ask him to be my best man".

"And I think I might ask Olivia to be my maid of honor".

"How soon do you want to get married?"

"I like the idea of a long engagement. How about a fall wedding?"

"I like that idea."

"How do you want to tell our friends?"

"I tell you what. Why don't we throw a New Year's Eve Party?"

"We can. But how are we going to tell everyone?"

"I will call Stanley and have him do a phone tree and call everyone from the office. I'll call a few other friends also. You can call the people you want to invite, and we can fly home on the 29th, and get the house ready. We can announce it at the party, if you want".

"I love that".

They arrived in Bermuda about 12 hours later and spent the next 8 days walking on the beach, making love, and just relaxing and enjoying each other's company.

They boarded the plane on December 29.

"Darling, how do you want to tell Max?"

"Well, what if we surprised him along with everyone else at the party?"

"I'm good with that."

They agreed that she would give her landlord 60 days notice and just move into Jonathan's place.

She slipped her ring off and gave it to him, so Max wouldn't see it.

He picked them up at the airport when they landed.

"Thanks Jack!"

"You're the best, Jack".

"Hi you two! Have a good time?"

"The absolute best".

"It was incredibly memorable."

"Which house?"

"Our house, Max".

She leaned over and kissed him.

***New Year's Eve***

Jennifer was running around the house like crazy, trying to make sure everything was ready.

She had been cooking all day. She had made three different kinds of stuffed mushrooms, artichoke dip, buffalo chicken sliders, caprese sticks, mini salad cups, two different veggie trays, cucumber rolls, a cheese and sausage plate, a fruit and cheese platter, and mini cocktail sausages in a special sauce.

Jonathan had cleaned the bar out and restocked it. Max had taken care of hanging party decorations.

Pretty much everyone who had been invited had RSVP'd yes they were coming.

Jennifer went upstairs around 5 and took a long bubble bath, and then curled her hair.

She chose a top Jonathan hadn't seen her in before, a black strapless sequin top with a sweetheart neckline. She paired it with a bright blue wide belt, black wide-legged pants and black sparkly peep toe stilettos and the diamond necklace that Jonathan had given her for her birthday.

"Darling, you up here?"

"In here".

Jonathan came in and saw her putting on her lipstick.

"Hi".

"Hi. You look gorgeous".

"Thank you".

"Max has been busting my chops all day."

"What do you mean?"

"Mr. H., don't you think you should ask Miss Edwards to make things a little more permanent? A classy lady like her don't come along every day. If you don't scoop her up, someone else will".

Jennifer was laughing at Jonathan's imitation of Max.

"What did you say?"

"I've thought about it, but the time has to be just perfect. I can't just ask her without putting some thought into it".

"Well, isn't he in for a surprise?"

"He better be surprised".

He started the shower and hopped in, while she went downstairs to finish getting things ready.

Everyone arrived around 8 and the party really got going.

Finally, around 11:30, Jonathan flipped the light switch a few times. He found Jennifer and led her to the fireplace.

"If I could have everyone's attention…the evening is drawing to a close, and before it does, we want to thank you for coming to our party. We want to thank Stanley Friesen for initiating the phone tree at Hart Industries. I assume that everyone has met everyone, but if you haven't met her yet, this incredibly beautiful woman next to me is Jennifer Edwards. She and I recently went to Paris right after Christmas and had a wonderful time."

"Yes, we did."

"While we were in Paris, Jennifer and I were talking about connections. Tonight's party is a good example of that. Somehow, everyone in this room is connected. Some connections are stronger than others and that's ok, and some connections are on different timelines. Max, where are you?"

"I'm right here, Mr. H."

"Come on up here, would you?"

Max made his way to them.

"This party wouldn't have been possible without Max. And he has not only taken care of the house, but he's been a great sounding board and listening ear for most of my life. When I knew I wanted to take Jennifer to Paris, he told me I had to take her to the Louvre, and I had to take her to the Eiffel Tower".

"And he did".

"And then on our last day, we did one more thing".

He dropped to one knee and held her ring out.

"Darling, will you marry me?"

She nodded.

He put the ring on her finger and then stood up and kissed her, while everyone clapped for them.

"Wait a minute! You mean all day long when I was telling you to ask her to marry you, you had already done it?"

"Yes, Max".

"Atta boy".

Max turned to the crowd.

"To the soon to be Mr. and Mrs. H."

Everyone raised their glass and toasted them, and then clapped for them.

"Welcome to the family, Miss Edwards".

"Thank you, Max".

"I'm so glad it's you".

She kissed his cheek.

"Ok, everyone it's countdown time. 10…9….8….7….6….5….4…..3….2….1….Happy New Year!"

As "Auld Lang Syne" played in the background, Jonathan took Jennifer in his arms and gave her a kiss that was so filled with love and passion that she forgot what was going on around her.

"Happy New Year, Darling".

"Happy New Year".


End file.
